


Time Lord Unyielding

by Writless



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Adventure, F/M, Gallifrey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-29
Updated: 2011-05-29
Packaged: 2017-11-12 09:25:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 39,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/489330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writless/pseuds/Writless
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor Donna has returned! 10 has made a surprising split regeneration, and 11 is in charge of fixing the mess. Old companions, and 10.5 are in the mix as well as they return to the one place they never should have, Gallifrey. Reunion adventure!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time Lord Unyielding

Donna sat in the plastic folding chair, watching the stars peek out from behind the clouds above her. It was an old habit she had picked up from Wilfred, new for her, she supposed. Wilfred had always been fascinated with the sky, more so recently. Little more than a year ago he had started to come to the hill religiously, rain or shine he’d hike up the hill behind their home and stare up into the vastness of space. Or sometimes, when the weather was sour, just the clouds. Always said he was remembering an old friend, perhaps a friend from the war who had finally passed on, but he never explained and it had never seemed right to ask. She looked at the other chair laid out beside her, noticeably empty, it had been two months now, since he’d gone. Seemed so long ago and still so painfully fresh at the same time. Now there was no one to think of the daft old man but her. Her mother was too busy buggering on, no time for mourning, no time for anything but moving forward.

And so she came up to the hill every night, came to remember Wilf, her grandfather, who had been there for her, through thick and thin. More so in the recent year than she thought she deserved, the depression she had sunk into had eaten up the whole of her life. She hated to admit it now, but the real reason she had started to join Wilfred on his nightly adventures was to escape the nagging of her mother. Always after her about going back home to Shaun, make something of herself, insisting that she go back to the life and husband she had abandoned.

It was tempting sometimes; she knew Shaun had watched helplessly as she had slowly shut down. He still loved her, and she thought there was a part of her that still loved him. But it wasn’t enough anymore, nothing was. The planning of the wedding had been so rushed that no one had seen her slipping away. The lottery ticket that followed had seemed like the answer to all their problems. They went on a trip; they bought a nice home in the country, a shiny new car. Shaun immediately talked about starting a family there; he went to school so he could work toward his dream of city planning.

She did nothing. She quit her job, she sat around the house, she washed dishes and did laundry with mechanical movements, she turned on the TV and stared at nothing. Nothing could snap her out of it, and yet she was excruciatingly aware of it, she knew how Shaun had phoned all the psychologists in the area; he had stacks of books that dealt with depression. He wanted to understand, he wanted to be there for her, and yet every attempt he made, every failure he faced with her, killed her a little more inside. That small part of her that still cared, still loved him, had started to hate herself more every day for what she put him through. And so she came back home, so she didn’t have to watch while Shaun killed himself to bring her back to life.

Tears sprang to her eyes, thinking of his face as she had walked out the door. It had been cruel to leave, but it would be crueler still to let him continue, thinking he could help. The greeting she had gotten from her mother was less than enthusiastic, luggage at her feet her mother had just tsked in a scolding manner. Wilfred had just opened his arms and hugged her, as though he knew all of her troubles and despite them, he would stand by her. “It’ll be alright.” He had promised her, pulling her into the warm house and setting her on the couch where she burst into tears for no reason that she could explain. That was why she couldn’t go back, something was deeply wrong with her. Wilfred had recognized that and understood, Shaun would try to fix it, but she didn't think it was something that could be fixed. She was broken, and she would only bring down those around her until she could set it right herself.

The wind started to chill the skin beneath her thin jacket; she refocused her eyes and realized that the starlight no longer penetrated the clouds above. They were now a thick black layer, warning of the storm to come. She could smell it too, somewhere further down the road the thick drops were already falling and stirring up the dust that blew to her in the breeze. She knew she should pack it in, but she stubbornly stayed put. A bit of rain had never bothered Wilfred, and she certainly wasn’t going to let it bother her. Besides, there was nothing for her inside, just her mother, and a large glass of red wine to drown the woman out. Thunder rumbled nearby, bringing along with it the beginnings of the headache she had managed to avoid all day. On and off her headaches were, a fair bit worse than the migraines she had once had. They were like tiny explosions deep within her mind, no amount of aspirin capable of soothing them away. It was worse because she could always sense them coming, hours of dread to go along with the pain that would surely follow. She ought to get in to see the doctor, but she had become so sick of them by the end of her time with Shaun, she couldn’t bear to go back, not just yet. Of course, she ought to do many things, but she never quite got around to them.

The first fat drops splashed onto her face, bringing with them the sharper chill of the storms air. She knew there was no reason to stay now, with both the storm and her headache coming together. The faster she could get home and get those pills down, the faster she could get herself to sleep, and if she was lucky, it would be a dreamless one. She stood on her numbed limbs, having to stretch slowly because they had fallen asleep while she sat there. The pattering of the rain sounded like a wind, creeping closer as the clouds that carried it approached her hill.

A blinding flash of light and a tremendous boom dropped her to the ground. Her whole body had seized up and collapsed beneath her and for a moment there was absolutely nothing, she ceased to exist. Fragmented thoughts started to come to her and the ringing of her ears suggested she was still alive. She blinked her eyes and strained in the darkness but she could see nothing. She realized she was face down on the ground, cold wet grass seeping into her clothing and sticking to her face. The rain started to come down in sheets then, soaking her and the grass further, the sound of it was muted, the crash still making her eardrums throb irritably. Points of light began to return as she dragged her stunned body up to her hands and knees, she could just see the street lamps down below casting their yellowy light on the homes.

She focused on breathing, realizing that her heart was hammering violently in her chest, as though she had just run a race. Her thoughts began to clear and she realized that she was stupidly out on a hill in the middle of a thunderstorm. She tried to stand but didn’t have the strength for the effort, so instead she crawled away from the shack, the tallest thing on the hill, and partly retreated down the path. But there was still something wrong, very wrong. She didn’t feel winded, her head still ached, but her vision was returning, she didn’t feel much else other than stunned. But her heart continued its rapid pace, maintaining a speed that was not her own.

“It’s okay.” She told herself in as calm a voice as she could muster. “It’ll be alright.” The words had made her feel better when Wilfred had spoken them and she hoped they would now. She pressed her hands against her chest, trying to slow her heart, but still it pounded in her ears, impossibly fast. She was going to give herself a heart attack if she couldn’t calm herself down. As she pressed her hand uselessly against her chest she felt something odd, a regular heart beat. What was more alarming was that she was feeling it on the wrong side of her chest. She stared down, still hearing the rapid rate fluttering in her ears, she felt around carefully, there, where her heart should be, was the regular beat. But it was different, off in some way. She thought she was imagining it until she connected the pieces, the beats were different, and they were complementing each other in such a way that her pulse felt like it was going excessively fast. But it was really the same rate, coming from two different sources.

“Oh God…” She shook her head, mouth hanging open as the gears in her mind turned. The rain spilled down her face and dripped from her nose but she didn’t notice. Instead, she stared up at the clouds, her only comfort now in the confusion. “Two hearts?” She shouted, more to herself than anyone who may have been listening. She looked an angry wet mess with her hair plastered down and shouting at the dark ugly sky. “How’ve I bloody got two hearts-” She cried out then, the pain in her skull flared up brutally and star bursts of agony exploded behind her eyes. The same glow of the street lamps seemed to surround her then; it took her a moment to realize it was coming from her skin. Her mouth shook as she raised her hands to her face, staring at them in horror, a haze of dust drifting around them, heedless of the rain and wind that battered her.

“Doctor?” She whispered the word before she knew its meaning, anyone listening would have known it was a cry for help. And then the pain was too much and she screamed, pressing her hands against her head, her eyes rolled back into her sockets and she fell to the ground, unmoving in the slick grass.

 

**********************************************

 

“I don’t want to go.” His voice broke as he admitted it to himself in the empty TARDIS. There was no one there to reassure him, he was on his own again, alone. His hands started to glow with that infernal yellow light, and he remembered sitting in the cafe with Wilfred. _Everything I am dies. Some new man goes sauntering away…and I’m dead._ The truth of it happening now was still painful to admit. The tingles were traveling through his arms, down through his body, replacing the burning that was from the radiation, but it was only a matter of time before it really started to hurt.

 _It was never fair_. He thought bitterly and he felt his throat tighten. He may as well fall apart because there was no one here to watch him. He closed his eyes and felt the frustrated tears building. His breathing quickened as he prepared for the change, but knowing it was coming never made it any easier.

Then the pain was everywhere at once, sharp and all consuming, his body shaking with the effort to stay standing. He ground his teeth together and groaned as the pain throttled through him in waves. He was vaguely aware of the smell of ozone and the crackle of the TARDIS burning around him, explosions shook the ground beneath him as he fought with his own regeneration. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind a red flag went up, the TARDIS had never burned before, something was wrong. But he couldn’t spare the thought long; the agony was unbearable and threatened to drop him to his knees while trying to tear him apart. He sucked in the burning air around him, still wanting to fight, wanting to delay the inevitable. And then with a shocking abruptness, it stopped. The pain ceased and the ground dropped out from beneath his feet.

His eyes shot open and his gasp for air turned to a startled yelp as he fell. He saw himself rising, but not really rising, instead, staying put on the floor of the TARDIS. It was his newer self, longer hair and limbs, the glow of the regeneration fading from around the figure. He had regenerated, that man above him was proof of that, but he was still here, falling, slipping away from the TARDIS console. What was going on? He swung his arms around, trying to grab hold of anything, but he seemed to have lost substance. He fell through the ship and into the open emptiness outside, the new Doctor never once looking back. The floor of the blue box that he had called home was above him, the only visible thing in space, and then it disappeared. He was alone, in the freezing airless void. It was cold, so bloody cold.

 _It’s over now._ He told himself, clutching his arms together, accepting that this was to be his death. He had not known that this was how his previous incarnations had experienced their deaths. Perhaps he was just a ghost, an echo of his former self, dying out slower than his body had. He closed his eyes and prepared to breathe in the nothingness, only another moment and the cold would have him. But a warm breeze brushed up against his face, folding around him like the comfort of an embrace. He smiled and opened his eyes once more, glad that his final moments would not be filled with fear. But oddly enough, his lungs filled with air, blessed breathable air. There was a blue glow, surrounding him in a web of warmth that spread down to his limbs. He felt safe, but he also didn’t feel as though he were dying any longer. His mind was sluggish as he tried to make sense of it, nothing seemed to add up and he was so tired. He felt the web around him hum against him tightly in a reassuring way and recognition fought its way through his confusion.

“Astrid?” His voice sounded so strange in the emptiness, he hadn’t realized how quiet it had been until he had broken the silence. She fluttered around him in response and he felt a hysterical chuckle threaten to emerge from his throat.

_I’ll keep you safe Doctor. I’ll bring you home._

Her voice was faint in his mind, but it was there, she was real. And she was stronger than he had thought, managing to pull herself together in such a way. He wanted to ask how, but when he opened his mouth, all he could manage was a yawn. Everything felt weak, as though all the energy had been sucked out of him and was left behind in the TARDIS. He tried to thank her, but it was too much to stay awake now, too hard to ask the questions that burned to be answered. He closed his eyes one final time and lay motionless in the cocoon, dreaming of a beach on a far away world, dreaming of a girl with a silly grin. Dreaming of Rose.

 

**********************************************

 

Sarah was busy building a series of sandcastles on the beach, it looked more and more like an entire sand town at this point; and Mickey was in the wings, busy thinking of ways to bring about their destruction. Sarah acted annoyed, but didn’t scold her little brother too badly because every time she needed more wet sand, Mickey was there, ready to splash into the cold tide to retrieve some. It was a particularly nice day, the sun was shining and the breeze was almost nonexistent. Rose had still made them bring their jumpers, it was by no means the tropics, but it was warm enough to let their toes wriggle in the sand. It was a good compromise for the crowded beaches closer to home, and this beach was special.

Rose loved this beach, though it had taken some time for her to admit it. They came every year now, at least once. They came to remember, and to celebrate. She looked to where John sat, reclined in a chair with his sketchbook spread across his lap. His eyes were on the children then, a stick of charcoal in his hand and a pencil clenched between his teeth. Of all the things she thought that the former defender of the universe might settle down and become, an artist certainly wasn’t what she had expected. But it made him happy, and had given him an opportunity to teach, something else he enjoyed.

She spied on his drawing, feigning that she was also watching the children. Most of the page was taken up with a large image of the children, building in the sand together; they were often his favorite subjects to draw. She had many of them framed at home, they were made more real when it was captured through John’s eyes, more alive than the photos they had. In the margins, she recognized sketches of herself and found herself smirking. She had to laugh when he caught her sneaking a peek and he smiled back, as well as he could with the pencil still stuck firmly in his mouth. She melted under those grinning brown eyes, still felt her heart flutter when they were directed at her.

The baby kicked once, hard, and then continued to move. She had to lay her book in her lap and pursed her lips into an ‘o’ while letting out a slow breath. She pressed her hand to her stomach, just starting to show now, a small bump hinting of things to come. John pushed his work to the ground and knelt beside her, a hand stroking through her hair.

“Are you alright?”

She nodded, forcing a smile. “He’s getting feisty.”

“Ah, kicking again?” His voice was filled with wonder as his hand joined hers against her belly. The smile wasn’t forced this time, he was excited like this every time and it was contagious.

“Yeah. Got me in the ribs a bit.”

“Atta boy, Alonso. Give ‘er hell.” He looked up guiltily and then leaned toward her stomach conspiratorially. “And by that, I mean, you treat your mother nice, or she’s bound to stick me on the couch all winter.” She laughed and shoved at his shoulder.

“Oi, watch it.” She grinned. “The couch is better than you deserve, egging him on like that.” He kissed her on the cheek in apology, and once, on the lips, to remind her why she’d likely never send him to the couch. “Alonso, honestly.” She rolled her eyes, a little flustered. He flashed a quick grin and settled back into his chair to sketch. His hands and arms were a mess of soot, at least he had the forethought to roll up his sleeves today, he’d ruined many shirts that way. And it had been rather expensive to do so, since he had never really mastered ‘casual’ as a dress style. Even out on the beach for holiday he was wearing a white oxford and a tie, she considered it a huge victory that he was wearing jeans. She thought it was funny that the only time she had seen him in a t-shirt was going to bed or mowing the lawn, and even then, sometimes it had been a polo.

She scanned the horizon lazily, another week of freedom to enjoy, Torchwood was still as busy as ever, despite it having been years since the last sighting of the Doctor, almost a decade now. There was still plenty of activity going on. She supposed that it was probably true then, he was never coming back. But that was alright, if a little bittersweet. She knew now that she had fallen in love with the man, not the time-lord, her time with John enjoying the mediocrity of normal life had proved that.

A speck caught her eye in the glittering water, something dipping below the waves only to appear again. She watched it closer, wanted to call out to the children to point it out, but she saw something that made the words die on her lips. It was an arm, two of them, thrashing up against the surf only to plunge back beneath the water.

“John.” She grabbed his shoulder, not daring to take her eyes off the figure in the water.

“What is it?” His journal was forgotten again, the tone of her voice had him alarmed. “The baby?”

She shook her head. “There’s someone out there, look.” She pointed in the direction of the flailing person, their struggles still evident despite the waves crashing against them. “I think they’re drowning.” She swallowed. It was only a moment before John saw them too.

“Wait here.” His tone was that of the old Doctor as he flew head first into danger. He ran down the beach, sand kicking up behind him and he dove into the surf. She jogged after him, until she reached the water line, the ocean was icy cold and her concern for the stranger now extended to her husband. She was suddenly grateful that John hadn’t decided he had wanted to be a police officer, or work with her at Torchwood, she wasn’t sure she could take this kind of stress daily. She shook off her dark thoughts of what might happen, it wouldn’t do her any good to stand on the beach and brood.

A tug on her arm brought her around as she saw Sarah’s face staring up at her.

“Why’s daddy in the water? You said it was too cold to swim.” Sarah’s tone was accusing and if she hadn’t been so worried for John, she might have laughed.

“It is.” She said firmly, she saw Mickey then, standing by the sandcastle, but his eyes were on the water, watching intently. “Why don’t you take Mickey up to the car to fetch the picnic, yeah?” She gave her daughter a quick pleading smile. Sarah looked like she would argue, but lunch must have been on her mind because she nodded and turned to grab Mickey. They both scuttled up the beach to where the car was parked, up closer to the road. She hoped it took them a while, she wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but she wasn’t in a hurry to have her children witness someone drown. Especially not their father.

She returned her gaze to the water, finding John almost immediately. He was a strong swimmer and had closed the distance between him and the figure quickly, but it didn’t seem to be fast enough. The arms didn’t move as they once did, hardly breaking the surface of the water at all anymore. Her heart stopped as the arms disappeared beneath the waves and didn’t emerge again, she saw John propel himself faster, kicking frantically to reach the spot where they had last been seen. He reached the spot and spun around momentarily, searching for any sign. But it was no good, they had properly sunk and they weren’t coming back up for air any time soon, so John threw himself under the surface, searching desperately for some sign of them.

“Come on, come on.” She whispered, her voice was agitated and she chewed at her lip nervously. It was a painfully long stretch before she saw John burst back above the surface of the water, dragging something up with him. She felt some of the tension leave her body when he started to return to shore, floating on his back and carefully supporting the victims head so that it stayed out of the waves. It was a slow job and she was pacing back at forth at the water line, the waiting was killing her. When he finally reached the shallows, she ran out into the surf, heedless of her wet clothes she splashed in up to her knees and helped him to carry the body up as the waves washed them onto the beach.

John heaved for air, exhausted from the swim he barely had the strength to crawl up out of the water. He looked almost just as drowned as the man he had saved, his shirt clinging to his shivering form and his hair plastered down across his forehead.

“Cheeky bastard is still wearing my suit.” John spoke between chattering teeth, using the last of his strength to help Rose push them both far enough onto the shore that the tide wouldn’t wash them away. The man laid on his side, unmoving, a blue suit stuck tightly against his thin frame.

“What’re you on about?” She looked at John curiously, but he just shook his head, something in his eyes worried her. She dropped to her knees and pulled the man onto his back. She turned white as a sheet when she saw his face, nearly gasped. The familiar sideburns, drawn face, spray of freckles. It was the same face she had known for years, the same face as her husband who knelt across from her, still struggling to catch his breath. It was the same man.

“The Doctor?” Her voice came out as a squeak and she slowly tore her gaze away from the man who lay unconscious in front of her.

“Seem to be, I’m accounted for.” His worried eyes caught hers, and for just a moment, she could read the doubts in them. Would he still be enough? Had he ever been enough? There’d be time enough to worry about that later, what concerned her most immediately, was that he didn’t seem to be breathing.

“Alright then,” She knelt over the Doctor’s chest, listening for any signs of life. His chest didn’t rise, and no hint of breath came from his lips. She pressed her hands against his chest and counted off the compressions before plugging his nose and forcing air into his lungs, she could see his chest rise, but not on its own. She counted off another set of compressions, fear starting to fuel her pumping arms.

“Come on Doctor. Wake up.” She said desperately as she pressed her lips against his cold ones once again, pushing more breath into him. She paused once to draw air and exhaled again, pushing all of her will and desperation into the effort, not wanting to think of what it meant if he stayed cold and dead like this. She felt him cough and sputter beneath her and she knelt back, covering her mouth with her hand as she felt her eyes fill with tears of relief. He turned to his side to choke up the water, his coughs were wet and broken and he gasped between them, struggling to get enough air. After a minute, he was able to take regular, if shaky breaths. He collapsed onto his back again, his own relief evident.

He seemed to notice them both then, confusion swept across his features as he saw John, but when his eyes focused on Rose a slow grin spread across his face.

“Rose Tyler.” His voice was hoarse. “Fancy meeting you here.”

 

*********************************************************

 

So empty, so alone, and so afraid that it was always how it had to be. He was in a dark pit of despair from where he could never release himself. He had come so close with Rose, and yet he had given her away. That helplessness of being the very last of his kind, it overwhelmed him.

It still frightened Donna, remembering those images, that last moment with the time lord when he had pressed his fingers against her face and she had experienced what he felt all the time. It still felt odd, having so many of his memories in her mind, they were distant in a way she couldn’t explain, and there were far too many to go investigating what they were. It was a lot to try to witness nine hundred years of history at once. But that last moment alone, truly seeing him, seeing into his very being, it was terrifying and heart wrenching at the same time. But then he had plucked it all away, wiped away both his and her experiences, ripping away her memories and leaving her just as he had found her, useless.

But it had been worse than that, he had left her with a void, she couldn’t really forget it all, there had been so many, she had grown too much to just resume her old life. And that’s what had been missing, that’s what had sent her into her depression. The emptiness she had felt, but couldn’t explain, because it had been wiped away. She tried not to let it upset her, now that she understood, she also remembered how it had tore him up inside to do it. Knowing she would have died had he waited made it easier, but there was still part of her that felt betrayed. But she could see that he regretted it, almost as much as he regretted walking away from Rose on that beach. Leaving her with a man who he hoped could bring her happiness, but none for himself.

He was always pushing them away in the end, his companions, hoping that by cutting them off he was saving himself the pain of watching them wither and die. She could see it though, she saw that he didn’t understand, by the time he pushed them away, it was already too late. He had given those people a bit of himself, and when he left them behind, they took it with them. It didn’t matter if he watched them die, or they lived long happy lives. The hole was still there, just as her missing memories had been a gaping wound; it still festered and bothered him. He didn’t understand that the loss was a part of life, human or time lord, it didn’t matter. He seemed to think it was the universe with a personal vendetta. Men were so silly sometimes, everything always hat to be about them.

She couldn’t fix Rose; he had already made his choice there. She saw how he had defiantly refused to say those three words that could have tied Rose to him forever. She saw the look the two men had exchanged; the clone had been as surprised as Donna had been. He had been given the chance to live his life with Rose, and if he loved her just as much as the Doctor did, she knew it had been the chance of a lifetime. And yet for the Doctor, it had probably been his most bittersweet. She couldn’t fix that moment, though it killed her to admit it. She blamed the inflated ego on the time lord part of herself; though somewhere she knew that was genuine Donna. Still, she couldn’t fix that moment without bringing a whole mess of trouble down on everyone, the Doctor included.

No, he was on his own with Rose. Hopefully it was better that she was in another universe, out of sight, out of mind. But his fear of being alone, of being the last of his kind; that she _could_ fix. For starters, there was herself; a second heart suggested that perhaps she had gotten more than just the brain of a time lord. She had seemingly mutated to adjust to her human body, she didn’t know yet to what extent, she had regenerated on that hill, she knew that. But had she died? Or just changed? That she wasn’t sure of. She was still trying to get used to the extended limbs and the black as ebony hair that was now rather curly on the top of her head. She avoided mirrors a lot lately, the change was just a little too much for her to take in.

But she did exist, and that was something. And if she had anything to say about it, shortly, there would be many more like her. She could see why he refused to do anything for his people now, it was his own time line, and that was a very definite point within it. Time lords and dalek’s must be destroyed together and in doing so, he had destroyed any chance of going back to save them. He was a part of it, and he couldn’t fix that without destroying the very fabric of time.

But she was special; even he had told her that. ‘Impossible’ was probably how he would put it now. She was, in fact, an impossible thing. An anomaly in the universe and time itself, but more important to her plans, was that she had nothing to do with the time war. She could change it, it would be so simple, well, maybe not simple, but not impossible either. She would do it for the Doctor, because he was her best friend. And if there was one thing she wanted for the champion of the earth, the savior of the universe, and the man who was most importantly, her friend, it was happiness. She wanted the Doctor to feel the same kind of joy she had had on her travels with him, without the painful reminder that he would one day have to experience it alone.

Cardiff was where she found herself now, Torchwood was where she needed help, and if she could convince them, the rest was going to be easy. She strode into a pub near the opera house and scanned through those inside. It hadn’t cost much to have the man she needed tracked down, and she had no shortage of cash. Though the whole endeavor would go smoother if she could find someone she knew who’d be willing to grease the wheels a little.

“Handsome Captain Jack, I presume?” She leaned against the bar next to him, looking quite pleased with herself. “Don’t suppose you’d buy a drink for an old friend?” He had been sitting on a stool on his own, staring into his half empty glass of lager, not the first one of the night, she thought, as he looked up to her groggily.

“I’ll certainly buy a drink for the lady who calls me handsome, but I’m not sure we’ve met,” He flashed her a charming grin and grazed the back of her hand with his lips. She laughed as though he had made a joke but he seemed so sincere.

“Go on, get off it. You know me.” She pulled her hand out of his and used it to wave down the bartender. “I’ll have a martini, and put it on the funny mans tab.” She jerked her thumb at Jack.

“Jack Harkness, at your service.” He offered his hand to shake.

“Are you serious?” She found herself growing annoyed at the man, insulted that he had forgotten her so casually. “Are you being serious, right now?” She scowled and drank half the martini before catching her eye in the mirror behind the liquor bottles. “Oh.” She said coughing on the bite of the drink.

“Look, I’m sorry if I’ve said something to make you angry…” Jack looked like he wanted to make a quick exit.

“I…” She turned back to him, a little flustered. “It’s Donna.”

“Your name?” He asked, a mild smile crossing his lips, thinking he had won her over.

“No! Well, yes.” She threw up her hands in disgust. “Donna Noble. Jack, it’s me. Donna.” The smile stopped on his face and he said nothing for a long moment, but it looked like gears were slowly turning in his mind.

“So…the meta-crisis…” He started.

“Yes.”

“And you’re a time lord.”

“Yes.” She nodded again.

“And you’ve regenerated.”

“Yes. Glad to see we’re all caught up.” She gave him a small round of applause.

“You’re Donna Noble!” He grinned and stood from his stool; capturing Donna in a bear hug and for the first time, she didn’t feel completely irritated with him. “You look great!” He held her at arm’s length. “Not that you didn’t…before…” He fumbled over his words briefly. “It’s great to see you!” He recovered and hugged her once more. “Is the Doctor here?” He asked, searching the bar for her companion.

“Naw, just me here. He left a while back. Hoped I’d lead a normal, happy life, I’m sure.” She rolled her eyes at the thought. “Daft, that one.” Jack laughed along with her.

“Still, I thought you two would still be traveling together.” He shrugged. That comment stung a bit, as that was exactly what she had thought, after their last adventure.

“Well, I was human, till about two weeks ago. Now I’m not so sure. Bit of a complicated story, and rather why I’m here. I’m looking for help.” She pressed on bravely, smiling as though she didn’t feel hurt by being left behind.

“Are you now?” He raised his eyebrows and downed half of his remaining drink with a smug grin.

“Yeah, of the dimensional space travel sort. And I’m a bit flush with liquid assets just now, looking for somewhere to invest it.” She sipped causally at the rest of her drink. “Let me know if you find anyone who might be able to handle that sort of thing.” She smiled over her glass at Jack who now had a calculating grin on his face.

“Miss Noble, I think we might have just the thing.” He raised his own glass and they clinked them together with a laugh. “Cheers.”

 

******************************************************

 

“What is he doing here?” Rose shook her head and paced the hallway nervously. John hunched against the wall opposite the doorframe, neither of them felt comfortable going into the room. The door hung open and John looked up briefly to see that the Doctor was still laying there, quiet and unmoving, just as they had left him.

“I don’t know.” He frowned and his eyes glazed over. Lost in his own thoughts it was difficult to watch Rose pacing back in forth, wondering what exactly she was thinking. The Doctor had fallen unconscious on their trip back and hadn’t moved since. He didn’t know if it was because he had nearly drowned or if it was to do with some kind of Time Lord business. One thing that he did know and he had yet to tell Rose was that he had felt him die, he had felt him die two days before they had even reached the beach. He had been afraid to tell her, afraid of how she would react, so he had remained silent. And yet, here they were, and he had suddenly reappeared, still very much alive.

“I mean, we’re in a completely different universe, you can’t just waltz in. Not without the whole of everything having some kind of explosion. I mean, we’d know if something were happening right?” She did pause in her pacing this time to level John with a questioning stare.

“I don’t know.” He repeated in the same tone, unable to reassure her with the answers. She ran her hands through her hair in a nervous gesture, peeking through the doorway again, almost as if she didn’t believe he was really there. She resumed her march down the hall, as though she thought she would suddenly walk into the answers.

“And why did he end up in the ocean? And where is the bloody TARDIS?”

“Rose, I don’t know.” It hadn’t been such a struggle to think out the solutions before, this domestic life was slowing him down. He smiled a little, inwardly, not that he’d had any regrets. But traveling the galaxies and coming across life or death situations had certainly kept him on his toes. Now he felt sluggish, trying to make sense of it all. Of course, he wasn’t sure the Doctor would have any answers in this situation either.

“I’m sorry.” She finally stopped her pacing and looked through the doorway. “I feel like I’m losing it or something. People don’t just fall out of the sky. Especially not time lords. It’s all a bit… weird.” He saw the fear flash across her face; it wasn’t just weird, it was worrisome. He stood up from the wall he was leaning against and offered a small smile.

“Why don’t you come sit down, I’ll make us some tea. Tea’s good, good for the senses, clears out the passages. It’s a fun word too, tea. Tea, tea, tea.” He rambled a bit and tried to lead her back downstairs to the kitchen where the presence of the Doctor wouldn’t be quite so unnerving.

“Hold on,” She stepped back from him abruptly. “Why’ve you got that look on your face?”

“I’ve always got this look,” He said, trying to look less guilty.

She pointed at him accusingly. “You’re up to something, that’s what that look is. Out with it.”

He smirked, that was his Rose Tyler, clever as ever, ruining his plans of trying to sooth her worries with tea and possibly biscuits. No way to sugar coat it now, she was onto him, and he doubted they had the time to spare.

“You have to leave.” He said with a sad smile, “You have to take the kids, and your family, and you have to get out of here. Get out into the country.” He put his hands on her shoulders and she looked up at him as if he were a stranger. “And you have to go immediately.”

“Are you kidding me?” Her shock was evident. “You must be barking mad to think that I’m just going to pack up and run for the hills-” She seemed ready to launch headfirst into a full tirade when he leaned down and kissed her softly. He couldn’t help it, she had to know, had to know how much she meant to him. Had to know why he wanted her gone, she kissed him back despite the argument that was ready to spill from her tongue. “That’s not fair.” She said a little breathlessly when he finally released her.

“Rose.” He stroked her cheek and smiled sadly, “They don’t call him the ‘oncoming storm’ because he brings a bit of rain. If he’s here, that means there’s trouble.”

“But, it’s not his fault.” She argued feebly, she knew the truth of it as much as he did, even if she didn’t want to fully admit it. “He’s probably here to help us.”

“You’re right. But it’s still not safe to be around him. Our children aren’t safe here, the baby, and your parents. I’ve got to know Sarah and Mickey are going to be okay,” He tilted her chin up toward him, knowing she was avoiding his gaze. “And you. I want you to be safe.” He felt his voice break slightly at the end, he was pleading with her, begging her to listen. He had never felt so powerless before.

“Alright then.” She said after a moment of silence. “We’ll go. I’ll ring up mum and have them pack a bag.” She brought up her hand to hold his near her face, and leaned her cheek against his palm. “Are you going to be alright?” She asked him, her eyes searching his for a sign.

“Of course,” He forced a smile. “I’ll be just fine.”

 

 ********************************************

 

It had taken her less than an hour to get a bag packed. Sarah and Mickey had both protested, they were curious about the strange man who looked exactly like their dad. They were also more resistant when they found that John would not be coming with them. Sarah had looked at him with such scrutiny it had been hard to meet her gaze. But he reassured them that it was just for a bit, and they were off for a fun holiday with their grandparents, and Tony. Despite being their uncle, Tony was very much their age, and the three of them had become fast friends.

Rose had rang Jackie and Pete before she left; just a brief explanation had been needed. They knew better than to question Rose when she used that tone. She used the same unnervingly calm tone when she was putting on a brave face. A quick goodbye, he couldn’t stand to drag it out longer than he had to, and then they were gone. The empty house was silent around him. It seemed wrong somehow, this house devoid of the sounds of his family. It reminded him sharply of how the TARDIS felt when he was in it alone, somehow incomplete. That creeping loneliness started to well up inside of him, remembering all that time spent alone. But that was why he had to send them away, he reassured himself. This pain was just temporary, but they were going somewhere they’d be safe. If they stayed with the Doctor, he was afraid that it could all too quickly turn permanent.

He headed downstairs to prepare some tea, more to keep his hands and mind occupied than for any real desire to drink it. It mostly did the trick, and sipping on it even managed to calm him some. He threw the pot and a spare mug onto a tray and carried it upstairs, remembering his first experience reincarnating into this body. It couldn’t hurt to try it.

“Ah, brilliant. That was rather nice of you.” A familiar voice spoke up as he entered the room with the tray. He had just enough sense not to drop the tray in shock. The Doctor had propped himself up in the bed, facing him, with a silly grin spread across his face. Always a flair for the dramatic, that man, but at least he didn’t have to be alone with his brooding thoughts any more.

“I thought so.” John recovered quickly and placed the tray next to the bed where the Doctor sat, eagerly grabbing the mug as soon as it got within reach. “Feeling better are we?” He asked, pulling up a chair and taking a seat.

“Oh yes,” He flashed a grin between sipping on his hot beverage. “I don’t suppose this is some sort of time traveling space dementia I’m suffering from?” He peered around the room over his cup. “Would have thought I’d decorate a bit more…” He frowned at the rather plain guest room around him.

“Most people are of the opinion that you’ve always had a bit of space dementia.” John smirked at the man; it was difficult to stay frustrated with the man who was so very much himself.

“Oh, now, that hurts. Coming from you.” The Doctor scowled but then shrugged. “Quite right, though. I imagine.”

“So.” John sat back in the chair. “What do you remember?” He propped his head up with his hand and stared curiously at the Doctor. Instead of answering, the Doctor just continued to drink his tea. “I felt you die.” John broke the growing silence. “Across the universes and different times, I felt it, and I knew you were dead.”

“Did you now?” He asked blandly, still not facing him. “Well that is interesting.” He swallowed and kept his eyes on the floor, a fresh sadness so clear in them that John wasn’t sure he wanted to hear what the Doctor had to say. “I was dying.” He spoke quietly, finally focusing his gaze on John. “And being a bit stubborn about it, I’m afraid. I had started to regenerate, but then, well, I dunno. I feel through some sort of crack in space.”

“Regenerated? But you’re still the same.” John eyed him carefully. “Did you lop off another hand that I forgot about?”

“Doubt I’d be that lucky twice.” The Doctor smirked. “I saw myself regenerate. I watched it happen, but I got separated from it somehow. I was feeling it happening, and then suddenly I was a witness. I was falling through the TARDIS; and then I fell out the bottom-”

“You found the bottom?” John asked with his eyebrows raised. The Doctor found it in him to chuckle.

“I can’t make sense of that either. It was like all of the sudden it was just that blue police box, just a small thing, and I fell through it. Out into space, and then I watched the TARDIS fly away.” His voice was sad as he said those last words.

“There must have been _something_ different.” John scratched his head, trying to sift through his memories that made this experience make any kind of sense.

“There was more…more what?” The Doctor lost himself in his own dialog; he rubbed his fingers together as though he could feel the words he was grasping for. “It was more violent, more destructive. There was fire. The TARDIS was burning, possibly crashing. Maybe it did something, lashed out, exploded, I don’t know, made a rift in space. And I fell through.” The Doctor looked to John for some kind of confirmation that it could be true.

John ran his fingers through his hair with a sigh, it could make sense, it was certainly a stretch, but then again, so was much of his existence so far, far be it for him to declare that this particular moment was simply too impossible to have happened. “So then how did you end up here?”

“Astrid.” The Doctor smiled sadly. “We were floating in space together; I thought I had finally died…again.” He admitted. “But then I woke up with a mouth full of ocean.” He shrugged. “Not the worst wake up I’ve ever had, but it’s up there.”

“Can you show me?” John knew Astrid to be dead, nothing but stardust now. But that was just one more thing that didn’t make any sense on the pile of ridiculous things he had been told. He knew the Doctor was explaining it the best way that he could, they were, more or less, his own thoughts. The Doctor beckoned John forward and reached out past the edge of the bed with his hands extended. His fingers found his temple and suddenly images were flashing through his mind in quick succession. The yellow glow of regeneration, the TARDIS in flames, the floor falling out below and a new man standing where he should be, the emptiness. The acceptance of death and an end to the loneliness. Astrid’s safe web in the darkness of space, the shock of plunging into the water, Rose’s face looming above his own, the burst of elation he had felt when he had seen her.

John pulled his head back suddenly, not wanting to intrude onto the thoughts that might show him how strongly the Doctor still felt about Rose, _his_ Rose. If the Doctor noticed the abruptness of John leaning back he tactfully didn’t mention it.

“Another Doctor?” John asked quickly closing the awkward silence. “That’s impossible.”

“Yup.” The Doctor sipped on his tea. “But then so are you. Worse yet,” He leaned forward as though he were going to whisper a dark secret. “Still not ginger.”

“Oh, so it is serious then.” John rolled his eyes but it was somewhat reassuring to fall into their silly banter, even if it was just to avoid the more pressing feeling of doom that was creeping up on him.

“Yes, quite. Where is that plucky companion of yours then?” His tone was casual as he glanced over the mug but John couldn’t help the jealous monster that reared its head inside him.

“She’s gone. I sent her and the children out of the city, up north.” He tried not to acknowledge how much he missed them already, how he desperately wanted her back by his side.

“Well, that’s smart.” He nodded his agreement. “Sensible really, dead Time Lord’s falling out of the sky is usually a bad sign-" He stopped himself and then looked at John carefully. “Did you say children?”

“Yes, two of them.”

“So the two of you…with…children-" His mouth hung open in shock, suddenly a broad grin spread across his face. “Well, blimey, that…that’s brilliant!” He slapped John on the shoulder and he couldn’t help but return the infectious grin.

“Yes, they’re quite pleased with their new uncle.” It had been the most plausible lie he and Rose had been able to come up with, and it was the only thing that really made sense.

“I’m an uncle!” The Doctor said with that same cheesy grin. “A bone fide uncle!” He beamed at John and for just one brief moment John thought he saw regret reflected in those ancient eyes. “Molto bene!” He cheered and the look passed. “You’ve done well, old chap.” He patted him on the shoulder once again.

“Oi, watch it spaceman or I’ll have to remind you which of us is youngest.” He pointed at the Doctor in warning.

“Weeell. I can’t go around calling you ‘young chap’ that just sounds ridiculous. Besides, if you want to be technical we’re the same age- Hang on.” He stopped himself, staring out into space. “Have you still got the sonic?”

“The screw driver?” John asked. “Sure, why-" He stopped himself then, the same idea coming moments after it must have occurred to the Doctor. “The beacon.”

The Doctor smirked. “The beacon.”

John turned back down the hall and headed to the master bedroom, the sonic screwdriver residing in an old dusty shoebox. He had almost forgotten it now, having nicked it so long ago; knowing full well that the Doctor didn’t plan to let him stay on the TARDIS. It was funny how he never really got around to using it, without the life of death situations, it just seemed unnecessary. As he pushed open the bedroom door, the sight of it briefly overcame him. The drawers pulled open and emptied; the bed still neatly made amid the chaos of discarded luggage and clothing. He shook off the feeling of dread that it gave him; Rose would be back, and so would his children.

The Doctor had followed him to the room and so he shook himself and focused on the closet, stepping up onto the small footstool that would let him reach the highest shelves. Rose knew he had it, he had never really hidden it from her, but he knew if she had seen, Sarah or Mickey with it, there would be hell to pay. He hadn’t wanted her to think he was using it all of the time, or to remind her constantly of its original owner. It felt heavier than he remembered as he pulled it out, but it still felt at home in his hand.

“You’ve dressed me like a right tramp, you have.” The Doctor’s disgusted voice called out from behind him, examining himself in the full-length mirror, he frowned at the reflection. They had thrown him in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, his suit was still sitting in a plastic bag, soaked from the salt water. It had been the easiest to dress him in, but was clearly not up to standard for the time lord.

“Yes, it was meant as a personal attack on your character. Where is your sonic?” John asked, suddenly curious why they hadn’t found him with one in his clothing. The Doctor seized the screwdriver from John’s hands and started to spin the outer ring like a combination lock.

“I imagine it’s with the other Doctor, as it’s not here.” He shrugged, slowed the twisting now, he bit his tongue between his teeth as he concentrated on the task at hand. It finally clicked into place and beeped amiably, the blue light now flickering with a slow pulse. “Hah!” He smirked as though he were pleased with himself. “Should signal the TARDIS’s console. And if I know myself, I’d wager I’d want to find out where that signal was coming from. And that will lead me here.” The Doctor unconsciously tried to tuck the sonic back into his jacket pocket. “Perhaps he knows what’s going on.” When he found the jacket was missing he looked to his pants, but was disappointed. “Best keep it with you; I’m afraid I haven’t got any pockets.” He handed the screwdriver back over and John accepted it.

“But, he’s in an alternate universe. Isn’t there some harm to bringing him here? Isn’t that why you’ve never come back before?” John frowned as he stuffed the tool into his pocket.

“Well, I got through easy enough. And I did it unconscious, possibly half-dead. Without a ship. Riding stardust.” He added triumphantly. John rolled his eyes and the Doctor just shrugged. “I think the damage has already been done. Whatever it was, the fracture between the universes was already there.”

“Well, that’s reassuring.” John shook his head with a frown.

“Yeah,” The Doctor scratched his chin. “Never really been my strong point. We’ll just have to wait and see.” They both jumped at the sound of the door downstairs shutting and caught each other’s eyes warily.

“That was rather quick.” John eyed the door suspiciously, and the Doctor seemed just as surprised. They both retreated to the hallway where they could see the stairway when John’s face fell.

“Hello Doctor.” Rose was halfway up the stairs, smiling sheepishly, but clearly pleased to see that he was out of bed.

“Well look at that, it’s Rose Tyler. Hello Rose!” He called down the hall with a jolly grin; he spoke from the side of his mouth to John. “Thought you had sent her away? Don’t feel bad, they never listen to me either.” He smirked.

“Back to the room spaceman, or I’ll drop you right back where I found you.” John said in a tone that was only half kidding.

“Alright, alright.” The Doctor held up his hands in surrender but retreated back into the guest room before John decided to make good on his threat.

John turned to find Rose at the top of the stairs now, chewing her lip, knowing she had done something wrong. “He alright then? Looks like he’s back to normal.” She spoke casually as though her arrival was totally normal.

“Rose,” He didn’t quite know where to start, it had been hard to send her away, and he couldn’t deny that part of him was glad to see her. But it was harder still to know that she was in danger, that she should be far away, somewhere safe. Somewhere, very specifically, _not here_.

“Look, I sent them up with my mum; they’re going out to one of Pete’s rentals up north. They’ll be fine, they all left an hour ago, and they’re safe.” She interrupted him before he could start to scold her.

“Yes, but what about you?” He looked into her eyes very seriously now. “What about the baby?”

“I thought about it, I really did. But I told you a long time ago that I had made my choice, and it still stands. I’m not leaving you.”

“You told _him_ that.” He corrected, it sounded more callous than he had meant it to. He had only meant to specify that it wasn’t really him, and the circumstances had been different. But he knew in his heart that was probably how he felt. It hadn’t been him, hadn’t been his half human self who heard the words she promised, hadn’t been his loneliness that clouded his judgment and let her stay. Hadn’t been his selfishness that had almost lost her forever. The memories were there, he knew what had happened, but they weren’t truly his.

“It’s the same thing!” She said exasperated, but she looked guilty as soon as she had said it. In their lives together, neither of them really knew if he was considered the same person until the moment, they had become two. Rose seemed to lean toward yes, John found himself leaning toward no. “I didn’t mean it like that,” She said softly, but he couldn’t really be angry with her for that. “If I promised it to him, I certainly promise it to you.”

“I know.” He sighed. “But there’s going to be trouble, the Doctor has even said as much.”

“And you’re going to get mixed up in it. I can’t leave you behind to ‘tend the children’, you mean too much to me.”

“That’s not what I wanted,” He shook his head, knowing he had already lost the battle. “I just wanted to know you’ll be safe.”

“And I want to know you’ll be safe!” She blurted out suddenly, her tone an angry one. “Had you considered that? Have you considered that having lost you once before maybe I’m not prepared to do it again? That I couldn’t handle that again? Because I can’t!” Her voice started to warble and the anger turned to anguish. “I can’t lose you John, don’t ask me to go.” John felt his chest tighten as her eyes gazed up at him through watery tears. “I…I just can’t-”

He pulled her into his arms then, pressing his face into her hair with his own eyes tightly shut. “Hush.” He soothed her. “I’m sorry; I won’t ask you to leave. Ever.” He held her in his arms until she stopped shaking, breathing her in. He was terrified now, more than ever. But there was no one he’d rather have by his side than Rose; he would just have to trust in the Doctor to bring them both through safely.

 

***************************************************

 

 _Follow the song, Donna Temple-Noble._ Sigma stood at the crest of the hill, his ball the only light illuminating the area, and all she could make out from the dim light was his figure against the murky sky. She tried to climb the hill, but it was worse than quicksand and every step forward brought her sinking down to her knees in the stuff.

“It’s just Donna Noble!” She shouted up at the Ood as she tried to tug her leg out of the stuff, her struggles only seemed to make it worse. “What are you getting at? What song? And why’ve you brought me bloody here?”

 _Follow the song._ Sigma repeated to her.

“What song?” She threw up her arms exasperated when it seemed she wasn’t going to have any luck pulling them out of the ground. “What are you on about?”

 _We will sing for you, Doctor Donna._ He replied cryptically. _You must follow._ She was about to start shouting at the squid faced alien when she suddenly could hear it, the rise and fall of the Ood’s voices, a bittersweet melody that was unfamiliar to her. It tugged at her heart and she could feel it being absorbed into her very core.

“What is it?” She whispered, her hand resting against the ground, just needing to listen to that harmony that surrounded her.

_It is the Doctor’s song. It ends. But the story continues. You must find it. You must follow the song._

“Ending?” The thought of it was enough to shake her out of her melancholy. “What do you mean it’s ending?” She tried to pull her arm back up but found that it too was stuck, slowly sinking along with the lower half of her body. “You get down here right bloody now or I’ll make you a right sorry Ood!” Whatever ground beneath her had been holding her steady collapsed and she started to sink at a much faster pace. “Sigma! I’ve got to help the Doctor!” She cried out in a panic, “What do I do?”

 _Follow the song, Donna Time Lord. Follow the song._ The voice started to fade as she felt herself slipping deeper into the ground, the substance swelling over her shoulders and then her ears, she had time to scream once before it smothered her face and then there was nothing but darkness.

*****

The attempt had been, to say the very least, unsuccessful. Donna opened her eyes with a gasp and found herself staring up at the gray ceiling, sprawled across a pile of old bits of machinery.

 _Follow the song_. Echoed in her mind, as did the voices singing it. She could have only been knocked out a moment, the smell of burnt ozone was still fresh in her nostrils, but it had felt much longer. And it had felt so very real.

“The Doctor’s song is ending.” She repeated to herself, the statement scared her more than she had been willing to admit, dream or no. What had he gotten mixed up with? Her mind slowly cleared as she realized that she had more immediate problems just then, most importantly, the state of their own dimensional travelling equipment, and the fact that it had just exploded.

“Jack?” She said, suddenly remembering that she had not been alone in their endeavor. “Jack, are you alright?” Her voice felt thick and her ears were still ringing from the explosion, metal groaned distantly and old fires crackled in their death throes, the place was a disaster. “Captain?” She felt herself start to panic in the following silence.

“Well, I’m alive.” She heard him groan somewhere to her left. “Always alive.” He muttered. She coughed as she rose, trying to clear out her lungs of the stale and burnt air; she made quite a ruckus as she untangled herself from the old alien weaponry she had landed on. She glanced at the teleporter near the center of the room, it didn’t look too badly damaged, the glass casing they had surrounded it with was shattered, but the metal frame still held, and the green glowing light in the platform still hummed merrily as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. It was as if everything had exploded outward, but left that untouched.

The evidence was in the surrounding room, part of the concrete ceiling had cracked and bits of it had crumbled inward, scorch marks stretched out from the radius of the explosion and explained the burning smell of everything. She found Jack’s leg moving slowly from behind some filing cabinets and carefully made her way over to investigate. She managed to navigate the rubble by choosing her footing carefully, finally finding some stable ground near the cabinet, which she pushed out of the way with her shoulder and a bit of a struggle.

Jack still lay there, groaning on the floor. Blood had streamed from his nose and mouth, but appeared to have stopped for now, the viscous stuff drying into a crust. Glass shards had torn his skin to ribbons and she wondered if she did not look much the same. His shoulder look twisted in an awkward position, as though he had met the filing cabinet as he had flown past, and they had disagreed on whether or not his shoulder needed to be dislocated.

“Oh, I told you it was a stupid idea, you git,” She whispered softly as she knelt down next to him, afraid that touching him might cause him more harm.

“Well,” He groaned as he pushed himself into a sitting position with his good arm. “It was the only one I had.” He stretched his neck and started to twist his injured arm back and forth, his teeth clenched until she saw his shoulder jump and he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Shouldn’t we get you to a doctor?” Her hand fluttered to her mouth, unsure if she wanted to throw up after just witnessing his shoulder jump back into its joint.

“Well that’s the idea isn’t it?” He grinned. “Find the Doctor? That was the last of the Huon particles though, I’m not sure how we’re going to find the TARDIS now-” But Donna had stopped listening to what he was saying, she was focused on his skin, the red ribbons that had been cut across his skin were slowly sealing closed again. He stood up before he recognized the strangely horrified look she was giving him. “Oh yeah,” He scratched at his face where the skin had just newly formed. “Itches like you wouldn’t believe.”

“You have got to be joking me, what kind of alien are you?!” She pushed at his chest, disregarding any further injuries he might have incurred, she was angry at being fooled into thinking he had been in real danger.

“Naw, still 100% human, I just woke up after the Dalek’s had shot me, and well. Been like this ever since.” He shrugged. “It’s going to sting tomorrow though.” He added, as though that might lessen the annoyance Donna was feeling.

“You’re all completely bonkers!” She threw her hands up in the air in disgust. “Oh,” She stopped herself, the memory emerged, Rose and the Doctor, the Time Vortex. “I suppose that makes sense.”

“Well, what do we do now?” Jack looked around, clearly out of any more daft ideas.

********

Sleep had eluded her that night, she didn’t know if was the adrenaline still pumping through her, or the fact that she didn’t really know how they were going to find the Doctor. She knew a deadline was approaching, and quickly. She couldn’t explain why, but she could feel it, if she couldn’t get to the Doctor by then, it would have been too late, the dread was like a heavy rock in the pit of her stomach, weighing her down. Jack hadn’t come up with any new ideas either, they had both been pretty sure the Heuon particles would get them somewhere at least, maybe not directly onto the TARDIS, but at least give them an idea of where it was, but the rest of those had been destroyed in the first explosion, and now they had nothing.

She had finally tossed and turned so much that she felt exhausted and her heavy lids won the battle with her falling into a restless sleep. Sigma was there, waiting for her, beckoning and pointing up to the sky with a pale hand. The song was there too, louder now, so loud it was like a thunder drumming at her mind and she could feel it in her bones.

 _Follow the song._ He repeated, she followed his direction and stared into the sky, a looming gray planet above them with a distant blue star bathing it in a pale light. She turned back to ask Sigma what it meant, but she found herself instead, springing up out of bed, fumbling into awareness.

“What’s…” She whispered before she realized she was awake and the dream was gone. But the song remained, and it was strong. She leapt up from bed, knowing Sigma was telling her something, what that was, she wasn’t sure of yet. She found a bit of paper and a stub of a pencil in one of the empty rooms near her own and started scribbling madly, the notes, something in the notes. She finished the melody in a daze and then sat back, taking time to study it in the dim yellow light, looking for a pattern, a hint, anything that she could use.

“Ah,” She said finally, a grin spreading across her sleepy face. “Got you now. They’re bloody coordinate.”

*********

Donna felt like an idiot in the relic of a space suit. It was an old lump of metal and foam of an alien race that had no sense of finesse, or fashion for that matter. It was bulky and awkward, but Jack reassured her it was the only suit that would guarantee to keep her alive in any situation she found herself in. She thought it was unnecessary, Sigma would not have sent her somewhere only to incinerate her on some distant planet; there were easier ways to do that. But she had to admit, she didn’t know where she was going, and if there happened to be no gravity and acid spewing out of the ground, it was nice to know she’d have time to Jack to get her the hell out of there.

She stood on the center of the metal platform of the rebuilt teleporter, waiting for Captain Harness to make some kind of progress on sending her off. He had sworn that the machine was ready to go, so she had strapped herself into the clunky suit in preparation, but now she was just getting hot and fogging up the glass in front of her face.

“Oi,” She called out louder than necessary, the helmet made her feel like she needed to shout to be heard. “You going to be quick about it, or do I need to get myself a set of wipers in here?” She pointed up to her face where the condensation could be seen clouding up her view.

“Sorry about that,” Jack stopped fiddling with the computer monitor and circled around the suit. He switched a button near her shoulder and the difference was immediate. She felt cool air whoosh into the suit and the glass cleared up with the air circulation.

“This will run for about an hour or so, but that’s all you’ve got, so don’t go wandering off.” He grinned and returned to the computer console. Donna rolled her eyes at the man, not the brightest bulb; he was certainly pretty to look at though. Of course, it wasn’t really his fault everyone was suddenly mentally inferior to herself. Instead of making a snarky comment she focused on the two buttons he had rigged into the suit, one for radio contact, which would start up as soon as the machine did, and one for the return trip. She tugged on the flashlight strapped to her chest a little nervously; it was all reminding her that very soon she would be hurtling through space with naught but this ugly suit to keep her safe. And that she was going to be riding in the same machine that had turned Jack into a human blood fountain wasn’t reassuring either.

“You about ready?” She called out at Jack, feeling her nerves starting to build up. The waiting was what would kill her, if she stood here much longer, she’d panic and black out, or at the very least, jump off the machine. He dashed back and forth between the main computer and the levers that they had rigged to control the machine. He almost reminded her of the Doctor just then, her resolve slightly strengthened by that at least. He pulled on the headset hanging on the desk and she heard the radio crackle to life as he pulled a lever down.

“Just about.” She heard his voice rumble near her ear. _Steady on earth girl. You can do this._ She assured herself, focusing on breathing slowly. There wasn’t really much of a choice, she either did this, or she failed. She supposed if she sat around for a bit, she could come up with a few more clever ideas, her new time lord brain was quite handy with that, but her problem was time. She was quickly running out of it, the irony might have amused her, were she not ready to hurtle through space in a jump suit. But somewhere, something big was happening, and she had to get to the place where the Ood sang of, she had to get there before it happened. She had to get to the Doctor again.

“Ready to go on a space walk, Mrs. Temple Noble?” Jack interrupted her thoughts on the radio, he was grinning now.

“About bloody time-” She started to speak when Jack slapped his hand down on the dramatic red button that served for ignition. The world started to melt around it, looking as though syrup had been poured over her helmet and all the shapes were blurring together. But then they were vanishing, the pink blob of Jack vanished, the dark walls blended into nothing, and then all of the lights shut off and she had the urge to throw up. She stood there, waiting for something more to happen, and hoping the lights would come back on, but she waited in vain, the darkness was complete and there was nothing to change it.

“Jack?” She spoke into the helmet hesitantly, she could still hear the static, and an occasional word that she thought sounded like it was Jack, but nothing she could understand. “Fat lot of good that was,” She muttered murderously to cover up how nervous she really was. She flipped the radio to silence to keep the static from reminding her that she might be completely cut off here. She tapped her feet delicately around on the ground, it was very clearly rock, so she had landed somewhere. She just wasn’t entirely sure where that was.

Her eyes slowly began to adjust, dim shapes signifying that there had to be light, just not very much. She took slow steady steps forward, her arms swinging about in front of her so she didn’t run herself smack into a wall and her feet prodding at the ground so she wouldn’t find herself suddenly at the bottom of a dark ravine. The sound of her own breathing was nearly as nerve-racking as the static of the radio, the world around her was oppressive in its silence. The light started to grow stronger as she continued; she guessed that she was in some type of cave and she was rounding to the mouth of it. One last corner brought her into light that was bright enough she could see the curve of the walls itself and the entrance before her. A single step into the light brought them thrumming against her mind all at once. She stumbled back into the dark, trying to catch her breath. It hadn’t hurt exactly, but it had been intense. There had to be thousands of them out there, all waiting, all crying out. She stepped out into the light again, and steadied herself for the stream that battered against her mind.

From her stand atop a small rocky hill where the cave opened she could see them all, see the landscape stretched out before her. The horizon was jagged with sharp rocks, low broken mountains; and the blue sun from her dream just crested these rocks, drowning everything in its unnatural watery light. Between her and the mountains, in the valley, were the ships, thousands upon thousands of them, as far as she could see. Some were parked neatly together in rows, while others looked as though they had crashed haphazardly into the ground. There seemed to be some sort of path that wove through them all and so she started down one. Many of them sensed her presence and called out to her warmly, others though, remained silent. Whether it was from a general distrust, or that they had died along with their lost owners, she was unsure.

It was an entire fleet of TARDIS’s, lost to the universe on some abandoned world. She brushed her hand against one of the silent machines, in the shape of a silver escape pod, and sadness swept over her. It had ended badly for her crew, very little of the heart of the TARDIS now remained. Would it end badly for her, she wondered, standing alone in this graveyard of time. The Ood had sang of this place, guided her here, surely they had meant to help. Or were they merely pawns in the universe, guiding her to where she needed to be in order to complete the Doctor’s song. She looked to the sky above, trying to recognize some type of system, a pattern of stars, fishing into that time lord mind of hers to make some sense of it; but nothing registered as familiar. As simply Donna, that would not have surprised her, but as a time lord, she was stunned silent. This impossible place was unknown to even the time lord’s vast knowledge of the universe, and there was something very intimidating about that. It simply did not exist in the known universe, unless you were told where to go.

She felt one particular machine calling to her, drumming away in her heart; she looked around but was unsure about where to go. Her helmet was a nuisance as she tried to turn and locate the source visually.

“Donna!” She heard the radio crackle to life and she nearly jumped out of her skin. “You turned your radio off, what the hell are you doing?”

“Jack,” She laughed when she realized it was only Jack. “I’m alright.”

“Where are you? What’s there?”

“It’s TARDIS’. They’re everywhere, and so many of them are dying. Jack, it’s so sad.” She shook her head, the helmet still making it impossible to look around at all the ships. “Jack, I’m going to go.” She said, taking a deep breath before snapping the locks that secured the helmet to her head and twisting the globe off. As she removed the helmet she was relieved to find that the air was breathable, and the temperature, while chilly, nothing she couldn’t survive. Perhaps it was the machines themselves, working to preserve the only life on this planet of death.

“Going to go? Donna, go where?” She could hear him echo in the empty air around her now as she peeled away the rest of the suit. “I’m bringing you back Donna.” She heard him faintly as she left the suit crumpled on the ground.

“Much better,” She stretched out, feeling much less claustrophobic out of the suit. She spun then, listening carefully, now she knew the machine wanted to be found it would be easy to track down.

“Donna? Donna!” She heard Jack’s voice calling faintly from the radio, but it was already behind her as she walked quickly down the path, searching both ways as she went, the pulse was pulling her toward it faster and faster. It was only a short hike when she had found it, off in its own little clearing she had had to leave the path and clamber over an old crashed machine. It was a photo booth, pictures of children making silly faces pasted to the side, along with grinning adults. A long red curtain hung from the center, a glowing light peeked out at her from the edges. She stepped forward hesitantly and pulled back the curtain, gasping with delight as the scene unfolded.

“Yep,” She nodded with a grin. “Always bigger on the inside.” She looked around at the graveyard once more before stepping into the TARDIS and closing the curtain behind her.

 

******************************************************

 

"Doctor?" Amy's voice wasn't particularly alarmed yet, more curious than anything. "What's this?" The TARDIS hummed around them, but one of the smaller screens that was normally was blank had fizzled to life and now blipped, numbers and characters flashed across the screen but she couldn't see any pattern to them. Occasionally a face would come into view but it was fuzzy and difficult to make out the details.

"This?" The Doctor was more interested in guiding the TARDIS than looking to see what Amy was getting at. "This is about to be the spaceship Guilderoy in the thirty-second century. It's the universes best traveling circus, they hop from planet to planet performing, it's utterly brilliant-"

"No, Doctor. Look! What is this?" The image grew stronger but was still unclear, the numbers started to come into focus so that she could read them as they zipped across the screen. She could also make some sense of the face, it was definitely a man. "And who is that?"

"Amy, you're missing this completely." He pointed up to the main screen. "Trapeze artists from Fae, using only their teeth. Tiger tamers who actually shape shift into the tigers. Shakespeare's plays, acted out in three hundred different languages, simultaneously. Roasted peanuts! Oh blimey, alright then, what have you got here?" He strode over, clearly disappointed that she wasn't interested in hearing about the circus.

"Oh." He said in a subdued tone, watching the screen flicker with numbers and symbols. The face appeared again and then disappeared in static.

"Well? Do you know who he is?" She watched the Doctor suspiciously now; he had made his face very carefully blank.

"Yes," He pulled the screen further out, a haunted look in his eyes. He pointed the sonic at the screen, an attempt to repair the signal she guessed. The image seemed to clear a little and she thought she could see a pattern in the numbers now, though they still meant nothing. "Well, that's interesting." He shook the sonic impatiently and scanned once more. The screen stopped its disruption completely and the image was now clear. The numbers looked like they might be tracking the minutes in the video, except there were many more than just the time that ticked by, she thought one might have been a set of dates.

"What is?” The Doctor continued to stare at the screen in a thoughtful way. “Oh just spit it out already, who is it?"

"It's, well.” He finally leaned back from the screen and sighed. “It's me." The Doctor shrugged as though he had said nothing of consequence. He tucked the sonic back into his pocket and held his chin while he studied the numbers intently as they changed on the screen.

"What do you mean it's you? That's not you; he doesn't even look like you." Amy squinted at screen, he was much too lean to be her Doctor, and besides, he had sideburns, and no bow tie. The man in the image was looking in the direction of the screen but he wasn't looking into the camera, he focused on something small near the camera. His mouth was hinged half open, his gaze intense. His hair was shorter as well, and his face was harder. And then he looked into the camera and winked.

“Can he see us? Did he just wink at me? Doctor-”

But he waved off her concerns. “Just a recording.” He said with a hollow voice. He turned to look at her then, a question in his gaze. “Pond, what have I told you about a time lord’s regeneration?”

“Regeneration?” She asked him, wondering what it could have to do with the winking man on the screen. “Nothing, I suppose.”

“Yes, I do have a rather bad habit of springing it on people at the last minute.” He chided himself as he pressed more keys on the console and the image on the screen flickered and died. “When I die, Amy Pond, I don’t truly die. I regenerate into a new form, new body, new personality, new teeth, all the accessories.” He tilted the screen toward her then, the same man was on the screen, but it wasn’t the image she had seen before. More men flickered across the screen, each just as different as the last. “I keep all the memories, all the information continues with me.” He tapped his head with a sideways smirk and returned to the main console.

“You’re going to die?” She asked as nonchalantly as she could. “Do you know when?”

“No actually, I have already died. Those men are not my future, they’re my past.” He said pointing to the small screen that continued to flash new images across it, there were many pictures, but they were the same men repeating, including the man in the video.

“But,” Amy started, unsure of which argument she wanted to start first, “He doesn’t look dead. And if he’s your past, don’t you remember what happened?”

“That is interesting isn’t it? He looked very alive, and I remember, rather specifically, dying.” He waved his hands in the air to signify the drama. “There were all sorts of explosions and fire. That’s when I met you Amelia Pond,” He grinned and ruffled her hair, much to her annoyance. “I crashed the TARDIS smack into your yard.” He smiled fondly at the memory. “But I don’t remember this, and I’ve never been there.” He brought up the video onto the smaller screen again.

“What’s there? How can you tell?”

“Those numbers, they’re not just a time and date. They’re a location. And they’re telling me that it’s Earth, in the 21st century, in South Greenwich.”

“South Greenwich? What’s that?”

“London. The suburbs,” He said ominously.

“So you’ve never made it out to the burbs of London? How would you know?”

“Actually, I have been out there, they’ve a lovely picnic in the spring. I took first prize in the minced meat pie competition.” He pulled on his suspenders importantly. Amy opened her mouth to argue but the Doctor pressed his finger against her lips. “But that isn’t really South Greenwich.” He tapped the screen. “That is parallel dimension South Greenwich. Somewhere I shouldn’t be, somewhere I shouldn’t even be able to go. That’s what makes it so interesting.” He pulled the lever of the TARDIS and they were traveling again, the floors shaking and bouncing as they went.

“Well, what is it then? Is he haunting you?” Amy waggled her fingers in as spooky a manner as she could.

“No, don’t be silly, I’m much scarier in person.” With one more twist of a dial, the TARDIS shuddered to a halt and they had clearly arrived at their destination.

“Well, what does he want in fake South Greenwich then?”

“It’s not really a ‘him’ it’s a ‘me’. And it’s not fake South Greenwich, Pond, it’s parallel universe South Greenwich.” He gazed at the numbers on the screen again. “I think I’m calling for help,” He frowned. “Let’s go find out, shall we?” He waggled his eyebrows excitedly.

“Why not?” Amy rolled her eyes.

“Are we at the circus already?” Rory emerged from below decks, drying his hair with a towel.

“Change of plans, dear.” Amy grabbed Rory’s hand as the Doctor disappeared through the door of the TARDIS. “Lose the towel; we’re going to meet the ghost of Christmas past.”

 

 ************************************************************************

 

“Well he’s cheating, that’s really what it is.” John pointed at the horseshoes that were all perfectly lined up around the metal pole. Two of his had managed to hit the pole and bounced away, but not far; Rose was doing almost as well, but the perfect alignment of the Doctor’s horseshoes was ridiculous.

“Now now, you’ve just let your physics get rusty is all. It’s all in the legs.” The Doctor grinned and posed in his winning toss stance. “Double or nothing? Or would you like to cut your losses?”

“Bah.” Was all John said. He retrieved the shoes and walked back to where Rose lounged on the garden bench, sipping merrily on a virgin banana daiquiri.

“Come here sweetie and drink away your troubles.” She offered up his glass and he took it grudgingly. The Doctor had made the daiquiri’s five of the ten days he had been there so far, it was something to keep him occupied. Rose wasn’t complaining, and he had insisted on making her own special alcohol free batch, but she had hoped he would move onto another fruit at some point. He wore a buttoned up shirt and slacks, he had been wearing a suit earlier but decided that the sleeves were inhibiting his ability to fully trounce the two of them, so he had tossed the jacket to the side and rolled up his sleeves. He had ransacked John’s wardrobe and found several things to his liking, and with the ocean-smelling suit of his at the cleaners, John had let him borrow whatever he liked. He was more of a jeans man now anyway, ah how the domestic life changed one.

They were all just killing time now, the first day had been a bit of a nervous one, catching up with the Doctor on what had happened, and what they thought was the explanation. It fascinated her to see her husband fall back into the habit of explaining things with words she didn’t understand, it was the time travel that did it. Impossible topics that were incomprehensible unless you really lived it, or if it was explained very slowly, in small words. He did seem to be a bit slower than the Doctor; she imagined that was probably her fault, filling up his brain with useless things like how to change a diaper, or how to braid Sarah’s hair. She grinned at the thought, when the other Doctor hadn’t showed up, they had worried. But it was too stressful to stay tensed up like that for long, and the waiting was excruciating without anything to distract them.

They thought it best to lay low so John took a few personal days and Rose worked from home, though there wasn’t much on her plate just then. The Doctor seemed to take it the worst though, for them it was just a nice long vacation. For the Doctor, the man who regularly showed up in a place just to save the day, it was a tedious process, waiting. He had slowly given up on discussing thoughts on what exactly had happened with John, who had started to get a little annoyed by the constant debate. He had relaxed a little in the last week, finally succumbing to the fact that maybe the solution wouldn’t present itself immediately.

“You’re just trying to get me drunk so you can beat me!” John huffed and then slurped down the last of his drink. “Women.” He muttered with a dark smile and Rose tugged on his shirt to pull him down to her level and planted a kiss on him.

“Oi, get a room you two.” The Doctor rolled his eyes. “Now come back here so I can beat you proper,” He spun around and looked over his shoulders. “Backwards.” He waggled his eyebrows with a grin.

“Showboat!” John called after him.

“Is this a bad time?” A man appeared at the gate then, they all three turned slowly, the grins fading from their faces. “I got the coordinates a bit wrong, alternate dimensions have a habit of that. We walked the last mile. Are those banana daiquiris?”

“Ooh, horseshoes. You’re on.” A red haired young woman pushed open the gate and walked in, leading a gangly looking man by the arm.

“Ah, the proper Doctor, I presume?” John spoke first waving one hand in a half-hearted salute.

“Yes.” He replied with a nod, following his companions into the garden.

“You didn’t say there’s two of them.” The red head looked between the two men and shot an accusing glare at the Doctor.

“I didn’t know.” He muttered annoyed, but she just shrugged him off

“I’m Amy, this is Rory.” She pointed to the man next to her who grinned and waved with a ‘hello’. “Mind if we have a go? It’s refreshing to do something _normal_ once in a while.” She shot another look at the Doctor over her shoulder.

“Be my guest.” The other Doctor responded with a grin and handed her the horseshoes.

“Didn’t realize you’d be together. Which of you is the meta crisis?” He pointed his hands between the two men.

“That’ll be me.” John raised his hand where he stood. “I’ve taken to calling myself John.”

“Ah, lovely to meet you John, and there’s Rose Tyler.” The Doctor grinned; Rose was still sitting there in shocked silence. “Always a pleasure.”

“Hello.” Rose smiled politely; it was hard to remember that this Doctor was nearly the same man as the two she had been playing horseshoes with. He was so different looking, still rail thin, but he had more shape to him, his jaw was wide like his forehead and his hair was nearly long enough to be put up. Also, there was the bow tie, and the suspenders. “Nice bow tie.”

He grinned in response and tugged on the red bow tie he was wearing at his throat. “You like it?” He nudged Amy as she walked by to line up her throw. “Told you, bow ties are cool.” Amy rolled her eyes and tossed her first shoe; it rang as it hit the pole and landed squarely in the center.

“Competition,” The old Doctor grinned. “I’m in.”

“What’s a meta crisis then?” Amy asked watching the man set up his next shot.

“Me,” John shrugged pouring daiquiris out of the pitcher. “Drink?”

“Instantaneous biological meta crisis, after I siphoned off the rest of my regeneration energy into a handy biometric receptacle, an old hand. Well, in my last regeneration.” The Doctor responded adjusting his bow tie carefully.

“Timey wimey is it? Hate it when you do that.” Amy muttered.

Rose laughed out loud then. “Me too.” John was glad to see her more relaxed.

“It’s not completely timey wimey, it’s just…complicated.” He shrugged and tossed his shoe into the ring; it hit the pole with a clang but didn’t quite land as neatly as the ones he had thrown before.

“Quite right, what shall we call you then? Calling us both ‘Doctor’ is going to make things…more complicated.”

“Timey Wimey,” Amy muttered behind her hand to Rory who had accepted a glass from John.

“I dunno,” He tapped the end of one of the horseshoes against his chin. “How about James, always liked James.” The newly dubbed James stuck out his hand to Amy in greeting. “Good to meet you Amy, I’m James. Yeah, rolls off the tongue.” He grinned.

“It’s lovely to meet you James,” Amy mock curtsied. “I’m sorry I’m going to have to beat the pants off of you though.” She turned and threw another perfectly arching shoe.

“Ah, real sport, molto bene!”

“I know this is fun, but, is anyone worried about how you all got into this alternate reality?” Rose spoke up finally. “I seem to remember it was a big deal in the past, a kind of, ripping a hole in space, destroying the entire universe, kind of big deal.”

“Yes, it was a big deal.” The Doctor pulled out his sonic and scanned the sky. “It seems like it’s not even registered yet, so something else must be going on. Something really big.” He tapped the sonic on his chin, and then realizing he had seen James doing the same thing, stopped, and instead tugged his jacket straight. “I know how you got here,” He pointed to John. “But how did you end up here? Or end up existing at all?” He pointed to James now.

“Well,” He stretched out the word. “The thing is, we don’t know.”

“You don’t know? How can you possibly not know you’re here! You were there! You’ve obviously-” He stopped when he heard that familiar humming sound. “Oh brilliant. Left the parking break off have we?” He muttered and started to dash back out of the garden gate to stop the TARDIS from taking off.

“Um, Doctor?” He heard Amy’s wavering voice back in the garden and he stopped, realizing that the sound was coming from behind him. He turned and saw what alarmed her; a small box was shimmering into existence right above the horseshoe pit where there had been emptiness before. James stood as the horseshoe he had tossed vanished within it.

“Um, is everyone else seeing a photo box?” Rory tilted his head as the thing finally was solid and the noise stopped. They all stood silently looking at it, unsure of what to do.

“Are they mad? Fifty P for a photo? That’s a brilliant deal!” James finally exclaimed, startling almost everyone.

“I’ll say.” Rose agreed, for a moment trying to ignore that there was clearly another TARDIS sitting in her garden.

The Doctor approached first, his sonic out and scanning the machine in front of them. “It’s real; it’s a real, living breathing, TARDIS.” He stared at it in awe.

“Oi, who’s throwing horseshoes at me?” A voice called from within and the curtain pulled back. A tall woman with black hair pulled back in a bun stepped out with an annoyed look on her face. “You could put an eye out with that.” She dropped the horseshoe in the sand nearby and stepped around the pit. “Hello boys, I’m back.” She grinned with her arms opened wide. She seemed to be looking directly at James, who didn’t understand why, or who she was. “Bit rude,” She scowled as she approached and gave James a hug, who returned it a little reluctantly. “Who’s he then?” She nodded over to where the Doctor stood.

“I’m the Doctor,” He watched her carefully. “Who are you? And how have you got a TARDIS?”

“You’re the Doctor?” She asked him skeptically. “No,” She shook her head, “No, you’re not the Doctor, this is the Doctor.” She pointed to James. “You’re just a silly man with a bow tie.” The Doctor pulled out the sonic and scanned her up and down. “Oi! Watch where you’re pointing that…is that…” She turned back to James. “How’s he got a sonic? Will someone bloody well tell me what’s going on?”

“I’m truly sorry, but I’ve no idea who you are.” James stared at her confused.

“She’s a time lord.” The Doctor answered, looking at his screwdriver. “But that’s impossible…”

“You don’t know who I am?” She erupted at James. “I can’t believe-” She stopped herself and all the rage rushed out of her. “Oh, sod it, I’ve done it again.” She sighed. “It’s Donna, Donna Noble. I’ve changed.”

“Donna…” James stared at her in shock for a moment before realizing she was telling the truth. “Donna Noble!” He pulled her into a hug once again and she rolled her eyes.

“Now he gets it.”

“How… but you’ve remembered, Donna, how are you alive?” James shook his head.

“She’s mutated.” The Doctor grinned putting his sonic away. “She can’t burn up because she’s a time lord now. Brilliant.”

“A what?” James stared at the Doctor now.

“Time lord, sweetie.” Another voice called from the TARDIS as they all turned to see a blond haired woman stepping out from it. “Three of you boys now? Isn’t that going to be interesting.” She grinned in such a way that the Doctor felt he had to adjust his bow tie.

“Oh, yeah. I picked up River along the way, that alright with everyone?” Donna asked the stunned group.

 

***********************************************************************************

 

“Oh,” James puckered his lips, taking in the interior of the TARDIS. “Like what you’ve done with the place.”

“Yes,” The Doctor looked rather pleased with himself. “She’s an attractive old girl.”

“You boys and your machines.” Rose couldn’t help but smirk, John was looking around just as wide-eyed as James.

“Honestly,” Amy rolled her eyes and plopped herself down on a couch that had appeared, the TARDIS anticipating their need for more areas to settle.

“You lot about ready?” Donna’s voice crackled and her face appeared on the screen. It was strange to see her with such a new face, it didn’t quite sound like her, but it did, and there was the occasional quirk that screamed ‘Donna’ if you knew what you were looking at. The Doctor stood in front of the screen then, a scowl on his face.

“I’d really feel much better if you’d explain where, exactly, we are going.”

“Hah.” She laughed. “Now you know how it feels spaceman. You can’t know, because if you do, you can’t go. Trying to prevent a paradox here, Doctors. So humor me. It’s all very, timey wimey space stuff.” She waggled her fingers at the screen. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“I’m really, very good at timey wimey.” The Doctor insisted.

“You forgot wibbly wobbly.” James added from over the Doctor’s shoulder. “I’d rather know where you got your hands on a TARDIS.” He glared through the screen at Donna.

“Trying to ruin all the fun, aren’t you.” Donna stuck out her tongue.

“Would you mind?” The Doctor turned to James. “You’re…” He shooed him away. “Looming, it’s bothering me.”

“Oh, wouldn’t want that.” James nodded and stepped away from the screen. As soon as the Doctor turned back to the screen, James made a face at Rose and John. Rose snorted out loud and tried to cover it with a cough because she had seen the Doctor doing much of the same thing. It was good to see some habits stuck with him.

“They’re quite adorable together.” John leaned over and whispered to Rose who hit him in the shoulder playfully.

“You’re one to talk.” She laughed.

“Boys, boys. Enough fussing. I’ll explain when we get there. You’ve got a lock on us then?”

“Yes,” The Doctor grumbled. “I’ve got a lock on you.”

“Make sure he takes the brake off!” They heard River shout in the background.

“The brake? What does she know about the TARDIS?”

“Too much. Apparently,” The Doctor spoke with just a hint of disgust. “We taught her to fly it. However,” He raised his voice so that his voice could be heard through the radio contact. “That is the best sound in the universe, so we shall politely decline her suggestion.” He slammed a lever to his left forward, apparently the brake.

“Atta boy,” James cheered him on, feeling certain he should have the Doctor’s back on this one.

“Off we go then!” They heard Donna shout and the machine started up on her end, a moment later their own TARDIS roared to life.

“Allons-y!”

“Geronimo!”

James and the Doctor both cried at the same time, and shared an awkward look broken by a wide grin.

“Well this is going to be weird.” Amy commented while watching the two men work the levers.

“Weirder than traveling through space and time, with three duplicates of the same man, on a ship that’s bigger on the inside?” Rose asked her with a grin.

“No, I suppose not.” Amy smirked at the blond woman who sat with them on the couch and they shared a laugh. The ship lurched suddenly, back and forth violently, catching them all off guard. John had to grip the handrail nearby but dropped to his knees. The Doctor hung onto the scanner screen tightly and James was sprawled across the console controls to steady himself.

“What was that?” Rory asked with concern in his voice.

“Nothing to worry about!” Donna’s voice called from the screen but she was no longer visible. “Just a little dimensional gap interference, followed by…smoke…River, what’s smoking?” She wasn’t speaking to them anymore. “No, no. We’ve got it all sorted. It’s alright, every thing’s alright.” The ship shook again and the companions all gripped the couch for dear life while the Doctor lost his foot and dangled by his grip from the screen. James continued to stay attached to the console where he thought it was safest.

“How much longer?” Amy yelled from her position splayed on the couch, Rory was attempting to keep them both firmly on.

“Unless Donna is taking us on a casual stroll through the universe, we should be there short-ERG.” The Doctor stopped himself mid-sentence and dropped one hand to clutch at his chest, his head rolled back on its shoulders and he was clenching his eyes shut.

“Doctor?” Rose spoke then, and then realized James had fallen to the ground, his fist also pressed against his heart, his jaw tight against making a sound and his eyes bulged. “James, are you alright?” She was on the ground trying to make her way toward him.

“It’s fine. I’m fine.” He gasped.

“Then what’s wrong?” Rose shook her head, not understanding in the least and the shaking continued.

“We shouldn’t be here.” The Doctor spoke from the console. Groaning and huffing as he lifted himself back up to the console, he brought himself very close to the screen and started to shout. “Donna? Donna Catherine Temple-Noble. Where have you brought us?” The tone was dangerously close to angry.

“Nearly there!” She shouted from beyond the screen. They landed with a great shuddering bang and both the Doctor and James collapsed with it, the color returning to their faces. “See you boys outside!” Donna grinned once in the screen before vanishing from view again.

“I’m fine,” James waved John off as he tried to help him stand. The Doctor popped up quickly and dusted himself off.

“Well then, shall we go have a look?” He nearly skipped across the ship, James right on his tail. The rest of them followed with a little more reserve as they flung open the door.

Rose blinked slowly in the bright light, for a moment she thought there was something wrong with her vision, the world around her seemed so very…red. Red grasses surrounded them, as high as their knees; it stretched out in a wide plain before them. To their left, some distance away, was a rippling field of trees, their branches dark and sturdy, the color of ebony, but their leaves were silver, a glittering ocean above the trunks, reflecting the red of the field. To their right was a great domed city, far surpassing anything she had seen on earth, possibly anything she had seen on her travels with the Doctor. In the sky were two suns, one a smaller twin of the other, and the sky was a husky orange.

“It’s beautiful.” She whispered. The sight nearly took her breath away, and she could tell she was not alone. James just stood there with his hands in his hair, letting out a slow breath.

“Oh Donna, what have you done?” He swallowed and the stress was etched clearly across his face now. The Doctor stood with his hands at his side, the worried frown he wore made him look so old.

“I don’t understand, what’s wrong?” Amy finally asked. John had come up next to Rose and clasped her hand tightly in his own. She squeezed it reassuringly but his eyes were haunted and staring at the world around them.

“It’s Gallifrey.” He said, his voice husky and dry. “But that’s…”

“Impossible.” James finished for him.

“Well boys, what do you think?” Donna strode out from behind them, a smug grin plastered on her face. “Can I deliver a surprise or what?”

“Oh Donna,” The Doctor couldn’t stand to stare at the city any longer and so he turned his attention to the ground. “Donna, you sweet idiot. What on earth could have possessed you?”

“What do you mean?” She scoffed at him, offended at his use of the word idiot. “This is your home, this is Gallifrey! You’ve always said you couldn’t go back, couldn’t change it. But it wasn’t really you, it was the TARDIS. You couldn’t get the blue lady to come back round again. So I’ve brought you instead! Just think, you don’t have to be the last! You can make it all better! Doctor, you can save your people!”

“We have to get out of here. Right now.” James had suddenly gotten a very intense look on his face where the Doctor just looked miserable. “Back into the TARDIS. Donna, you too. We need to leave. Immediately.” Amy looked a bit startled to be taking orders from an older version of the Doctor, but Rose and John both recognized the tone and they were headed to the door.

“What?” Donna looked at James exasperated. “You can’t just leave! You’ll destroy everyone! Isn’t this what you want? To save everyone?” Donna threw up her hands at him.

“Yes, Donna.” James gripped her shoulders tightly. “More than you could ever know. But if we don’t get out of here this instant, we’ll be here for an entire fleet of Dalek’s that come to attack the city, and we’re all going to die.”

“And quite possible we’ll tear a giant hole in the fabric of time, destroying Gallifrey, Earth, and everything.” The Doctor chimed in helpfully.

“Yes, there’s that too.” James agreed with him.

“Alright, if you think we should go…” Donna nodded at the seriousness of the two men.

“Too late.” River’s voice called from behind them, her tone that of defeat.

“Under the intergalactic treaty of the Seven Elder Systems, I am placing you and your ships under quarantine for breach of the neutral property of Gallifrey.” They all turned to face the handful of red caped men who had appeared behind them. Marching River along who already had her hand raised.

“Hello gentlemen,” The Doctor raised his own hands in surrender. “Good to be back.”

 

******************************************************************************

 

“Awfully nice place for ‘prisoners’ I’d say.” Amy inspected their lush surroundings. “Better than bunk beds anyway,” She made a face at Rory as she circled the room. It was a bit like one of the castles back home that they had decorated to match its original elegance. Velvet draped across everything, the wallpaper wasn’t paper at all, but carefully embroidered cloth, finer than anything she had seen. The furniture was the same dark wood that they had seen on the trees outside, polished to a delicate sheen and lighter wood was inlaid to make the intricate carvings stand out further.

“I fixed that,” The Doctor scowled at her as she threw herself down on a red chaise lounge. “Anyway, I’m sure they want to lull you into some false sense of security before they damn you to whatever sort of interrogation they have planned. We were rather crafty that way. Especially at the end.” He approached one of the landscape paintings that hung over a wide mantle place and sniffed at it closely.

“Can’t we just explain? You’re giving them another chance; surely they’ll be grateful to you.” Donna shook her head at his ridiculousness.

“No,” He turned and pointed a very stern finger at her. “Absolutely not. No one is to say anything, anything at all. You two,” He pointed to John and James. “Are boring twin brothers. Human. No crisis about you, meta, or otherwise. Got it?” James shrugged and John nodded his agreement. “And as for the rest of you,” His eyes rested back on Donna and the rest of them. “Make a point of looking extra…human-y…” He scowled at nothing. “Is that even a word? Of course it is, I’ve just said it.” He reassured himself. “Good, everyone on board? No speaking, no oddness. Excellent. We might even get out of this alive.”

“Can’t they just check for two hearts?” Rose asked still stealing glances out of their window, the world beyond was just so incredible it was difficult for her not to look at it. She had noticed that the Doctor, James, and John were all being very careful not to look at it at all, the thought made her shiver.

“They would think it was beneath them. To think of any of us as a real threat. It’s been our greatest weakness. Underestimating others.” James stared at the floor with his hands stuffed into his pockets.

“Yes,” The Doctor looked at James for a long moment. “Best bet is to get to meet with the Lord President-”

“Rassilon.” James almost snarled as he said the name.

“Yes,” Even the Doctor had to swallow to gain his composure before he spoke again. “I’m sure we’re both quite bitter about that still. However, it hasn’t yet occurred for him, otherwise we’d see Earth out the window instead of our suns. So let’s just keep that under wraps for now, shall we?”

“We’re deep in the war now; the other side of the planet is burning. And Rassilon is just letting it burn. He’s committed a thousand crimes in the name of this war and we’ve already broken all the rules by coming here. What’s one more?” James asked dangerously. Everyone did their best to avoid his sharp gaze and the Doctor felt sadness sweep over him. He brought James over to the opposite side of the room and leveled him with a stare.

“You have to listen to me now; I know you’re still angry. But you’ve got to listen. These people here are our responsibility; I promised them I’d bring them home, okay? Alive and well, fully breathing. I know how angry you are, because I was that angry, but you know what?” The Doctor grabbed James by the shoulders. “I will be so _much_ angrier,” He enunciated each of the words to convey his seriousness. “If any of these people come to harm today because you couldn’t get past your own emotions.”

James broke eye contact first, still angry, but he caught sight of Rose, smiling and laughing with John, and he felt his anger soften. “You’re right.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry.”

“There’s a good lad.” The Doctor smiled then and tapped James’ chin with his fist. “Stiff upper lip, keep buggering on, all that.”

“You boys alright?” Donna had let her curiosity get the better of her and had wandered over when it seemed safe again.

“Oh sure Donna, you know me. Always alright.” The Doctor grinned and gave her a thumbs up before wandering over to the locked doors that kept them within.

“Secret code again?” Donna asked James with a raised eyebrow.

“Secret code of the universe.” James gave her a stiff smile.

“So…you died then?” Donna asked, almost disbelieving.

He laughed. “So did you,” He nodded at her black hair, so unlike the red he had last seen her with. The truth was she was completely different looking, but she still acted the same, and he had to admit he was grateful for that.

“S'pose I did.” She shrugged. “Do you think I’m a real time lord? Or am I just some kind of weird…hybrid.”

“Well, you’re certainly weird, I’ll give you that.”

“Oi, watch it, space-” She pointed a finger at him. The teasing look fell from her face and she smiled sadly. “It was you; he said he was remembering an ‘old friend’ on the hill. I had forgotten until now. But he was going up there to watch for you. Because I couldn’t. That old Wilf was a sweet one.” She swallowed back the lump that threatened to break her.

“Oh did he?” James brightened up at his mention. “How is he getting on then?”

Donna’s face fell but before she could answer the doors burst open, and the Doctor had to scuttle quickly backwards to avoid being struck by the heavy wood. A woman strode into the room importantly, her blond hair pinned up onto her head in an exotic manner and she wore a ruffled crimson gown that complimented her skin. She was stunningly beautiful, even as angry as she looked, but there was something missing in her eyes, something hollow.

“Oh, hello there.” The Doctor waved.

“What could have possessed you to enter Gallifreyan space without proper authorization at a time like this? Rassilon will want to know how you accomplished it; it could be a weakness in our defenses.” She fixed her gaze immediately on the Doctor, but she was momentarily distracted by James and watched him carefully for a moment before the Doctor strode forward and brought her attention around again. “You’ve changed again, I see. Can’t seem to stay out of trouble.” She chided.

“Yes, you know me. Silly, wanton, adventurous. Always up to something. Let our Lord President know I’m terribly sorry, you know how I like to make an entrance.”

“Well, father never said this marriage would be orthodox. It is good to see you, Doctor.” She stepped forward, her skirts rustling loudly in the wake of silence that had followed to word ‘marriage’. She gave the Doctor a stiff hug that was short.

“Likewise.” The Doctor gave an uneasy smile and pretended he couldn’t feel River’s gaze burning into the back of his skull.

“Well, who are these…people you’ve brought with you?” Her tone implied that they might have been as welcome as a new stain on the carpet; they did look a little rough when compared to her own elegant attire and their surroundings.

“Oh, them?” The Doctor looked over his shoulder as if just remembering they were present. “Just some companions. All human, very human. Plain, blah, humany wumany.” He waved his hands in their general direction as though they were rubbish.

“Yes, you always had a soft spot for Earthlings.” She said dismissively. “Greetings, I am the Empress. Welcome to Gallifrey.” She spoke the words slowly and deliberately as though she suspected they were unable to comprehend anything intelligently. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen one; I believe Rassilon had one for a pet not too long ago. They do so much with those simple brains of theirs.” She smiled as if she had given them a huge compliment. Rory was struggling to keep Amy from striding forward and Donna was having her own issues keeping River from pulling out a weapon.

“Ah, yes, they’re quite the inspiration.” The Doctor was aware of the tension in the room even if the Empress was oblivious. Leading her to the door by the arm he hoped to get her out of the room before there was real trouble. “Thanks for the visit; I’ll see you…sometime later.” He shooed her toward the door and started to shut it behind her.

“Darling,” She spoke the word like it was poisonous. “I came to retrieve you for the looming. The lord president knows the urgency for this and so he has released you into my care. You are to come with me to the Birthing chamber.”

“Looming,” The Doctor swallowed, taking a moment to digest what she was saying. “Ah, yes, Looming. Well, you go…set up. I’ll be right along, I remember the place.” He nodded encouragingly to her before shutting the door by pressing his back against it.

“Well who the bloody hell was she?” River shook off Donna’s grip and looked about as angry as any of them had ever seen her.

“The Empress.” The Doctor clapped his hands together. “Had forgotten she might be around. No big deal, we’ll just…deal with that as we go.”

“Her highness not too fond of humans, is she?” Donna snorted unpleasantly.

“She’s not royalty, it’s an alias. No need to get tetchy Donna, you don’t qualify as human anymore.” The Doctor reassured her.

“Don’t any of you have proper names?” Donna threw up her arms in disgust.

“Well I’m a little tetchy. Funny how you never mentioned a wife before.” River’s tone was dangerously low.

“Oh don’t look at me like that. This is ages apart from you, besides; it’s not really, marriage, in the traditional sense. Or well, _your_ traditional sense.”

“Digging yourself deeper mate.” James muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

“What’s looming then?” Rose asked curiously, hoping to relieve some of the tension of the gaze that River was leveling at the floppy haired man.

“Hah. Yes, looming. Who wants to go make babies?” The Doctor asked, waving his fists in the air merrily. There was a long uncomfortable silence that followed and he slowly lowered his fists, the grin fading from his face.

“Oh, shut up. It’s not like that.” The Doctor frowned at the group of them.

“Well, that’s a relief.” Rory chuckled nervously.”

“Speak for yourself.” Amy commented with a shrug. Rory could only stare at his wife with a mix of shock and horror; she pushed at his shoulder with a frown. “Wipe that stupid look off your face, I was only joking.”

~*~

“Do you think it was odd that she almost recognized me?” James walked astride the Doctor now, the rest of the entourage followed through the high arching hallway.

“Yes, and yet she let it go. Very odd. Best stay out of her line of sight. Keep low. The Empress was never one for making things easy.”

“Yes, she did like to complicate things.” James frowned.

“And she was a horrible toad.” The Doctor commented mildly.

“Well, why did you marry her if you didn’t love her?” Donna asked, she couldn’t be bothered to try to sift through the pile of memories to untangle every answer about the Doctor. Even when she searched sometimes, she was unable to make sense of it. As though the Doctor had secrets so buried away that even the transfer of minds couldn’t sort them out for her, or wouldn’t. She had a bleak image of the Doctor reaching for the Empress, offering his hand, and she had turned away. There was no context with it, no way of knowing if it was in the past of this moment, or the future, but she had the hopeless feeling that she recognized the dress.

“It’s not about love.” The Doctor shook his head. “It’s about continuing the species. Healthier offspring stemmed from less emotional bonds, they thought they could breed it out of the population. Thought that with a level head they could manage the burdens of the universe easier.”

“Just made it worse though, more likely to bury it deep, and then lash out at the worst possible moments.” James scorned his own people bitterly.

“Yes, yes it did. Unpleasant things. This is wartime Gallifrey, however. So I’ll thank you to keep those kinds of comments to yourself, no telling who is listening.” The Doctor paused in his march to eye James and then tilt his head sharply to the left where two patrol guards were marching along the same hall.

“I suppose I can behave myself.” James sighed with an apologetic smile.

“Well, I can’t stop you from being you.” The Doctor smirked and they continued on, the guards paid no mind to the group as they went, a few kept post at doors, but they didn’t seem to be the ones they wanted as the Doctor led them on. “Ah, here we are.” He ducked down one of the crossroads of hallways that looked seemingly like the rest, but at the end of this one was a set of doors as large as the hall itself and black like the rest of the wood they had seen. It was rather ominous looking after the brightness of the open windows and the lightly colored marbled floors. The Doctor threw open the doors dramatically and they all caught themselves gasping at the vision inside.

It was very much a loom, and it was enormous, stretching high above their heads, almost to the ceiling. And it spanned the distance of both the walls. The thread was what made it so breathtaking; it sparkled like strands of diamond, the sunlight from the windows refracting the light in all direction, creating millions of tiny rainbows on the floors and ceiling.

“It’s magnificent.” River whispered, the only one who could find their voice in the presence of such a thing.

“Quite right,” The Doctor nodded, taking a moment to admire it himself. Up above them were two towers that stood atop spiral staircases. They both held a white globe, the Empress stood at the top of one of them, waiting for the Doctor. “Let’s get to work, shall we?” He called to her cheerfully. Checking his watch, he started to mutter to himself. “Better make it quick.” He frowned at the skyline outside but hopped up the stairs anyway, taking them two at a time. He looked down at everyone waiting at the bottom and gave them two thumbs up before grabbing the globe with both of his hands. The Empress mimicked the motion and the globes pulsed in time to their heartbeats, a glow spread from the Doctor to the globe, down his arms into it.

“No!” Rose cried out, recognizing the glow from before. She ran for the stairs before John pulled her to a stop. “It’s killing him!” She argued, a desperate plea in her eyes.

“No.” James said in a familiar tone. “That’s his life energy; it burns up when we regenerate. But right now, it’s bonding with the threads, creating new life in the loom. It’s perfectly harmless.” He shrugged with a sad smile. “It’s a miracle.”

“So…that’s how time lords make children?” Rory asked, relief evident in his tone.

“Yep.” James turned his smile to Rory. “We were cursed long ago, not to be able to reproduce…in the usual means.” He said delicately. “So we pour ourselves into the loom. It takes the best of us, and creates our children.”

“Did you have many?” Amy asked, looking into the threads as they worked; it was mesmerizing how the threads weaved together, the shuttle flying between the strands at a steady pace. “Children, I mean.”

“Yes,” James swallowed. “I had a few. They’ll be at the academy now. I was young, for looming. But there was a war to come, Rassilon needed his soldiers.” He shook his head bitterly. “I think somehow, in the end. I knew. I think I knew what would become of them.”

“Couldn’t you save one?” Donna asked, tears glittering in her eyes, already knowing the answer, but not knowing why. “Just one of your children?”

“Children are treated differently here.” John spoke up then, for the first time realizing he pitied the man who had given him this life, because he only lived half of one. “They’re sent to school straight off, self sufficient, or the academy deems they are. It would never have occurred to you to try and save one of them; they’re just as alien to you as a stranger.” James opened his mouth to argue, he could see he wanted to deny it. “It’s not your fault. It’s just not the same here.”

“I always thought there’d be more time.” James smiled, his eyes just as watery as Donna’s now. “To get to know them. It’s never fair.” He frowned and looked up at the Empress. “She didn’t even want to come.”

“The Empress?” Donna saw the image again, the woman turning her back on him, leaving him, and the feeling of loss and betrayal in that moment.

“Yeah. Thought she was different, I was stupid. Young, I thought if I could just get here away from this stupid bloody war things could be different.”

“Maybe you could still…” Donna trailed off. “The children-”

“Doctor!” Amy’s cry cut Donna off and they turned to see what the matter was. “Doctor, what’s going on?” She seemed to be dissipating into thin air, she stared at her hands as they were vanishing, her eyes were wide with fear.

“Amy?” The Doctor’s voice called from above, he had pulled his hands away from the globe and was searching for the source of trouble.

“Oh Rory, I’m sorry.” Amy cried as she reached out to brush his cheek with a hand that wasn’t there any longer.

“Pond!” The Doctor shouted now, leaping down the stairway haphazardly. James was already scanning the air with the sonic where she had vanished. “What is it? What have they done? Where is she?” The Doctor looked to James for answers but he just looked at the sonic hopelessly.

“I’m sorry.” He shook his head, finally meeting the Doctor’s gaze. “I’m so sorry, but they’ve taken her.”

“Where?” The Doctor gripped him by the shoulders, almost trying to shake the answers from him. “Taken her where?”

“She has interfered with the Loom.” The Empress spoke from above them, haughty at being interrupted. “She is a war criminal and must be punished.”

“I see.” The Doctor spoke with an edge to his voice. “They’ve taken her to trial.”

 

**************************************************************

 

“I’m sorry to say the council has already come to a decision on the trial.” Rassilon sat at the seat of the house, calmly smiling at the Doctor and not sounding sorry at all. None of the rest of the council was present, which was even more infuriating, only Rassilon was present to argue with. “And I’m afraid the human female has been found guilty.”

“That ‘human female’ is called Amy. What exactly is it she’s been found guilty of?” The Doctor spat the words at the president, the hunch in his shoulders suggesting it was taking most, if not all of his effort to keep himself from flying at the man in rage.

“You let her go you big stupid spaceman!” Rory shouted from behind the Doctor, a vein bulging on his forehead. James was doing his best to keep a grip on him as Rassilon turned his attention to the ragtag group of strangers who stood behind the Doctor.

“Shut him up, will you? There’s a good lad.” The Doctor pointed to Rory without looking back and spoke very calmly.

“She’s my wife!” Rory yelled again, his rage directed at both Rassilon and the Doctor now. James kept his grip on Rory and turned his back on Rassilon so he could get Rory to focus on him instead.

“Yes, she is.” James did his best to keep his voice low. “The Doctor is going to figure this out. But right now isn’t the best time to try to fight the Lord President of Gallifrey, yeah? These people are in the middle of a war, a terrible war, and right now, these people are capable of some really ugly things. Let’s just take one challenge at a time, shall we?” Rory looked as though he wanted to shout until his voice gave out, but something in James’ pleading eyes made him see the truth of it. His shoulders sagged and he nodded, feeling powerless in this strange place. “Atta boy, we’ll have her back in no time.” James grinned reassuringly and clapped him on the shoulder.

“My, I’m surprised the rest of your companions have avoided being arrested. They’re a danger to themselves, if not the people of Gallifrey.” Rassilon’s face held that benevolent smirk that irritated the rest of them to no end.

“Lord President,” The Doctor spoke the title carefully, using his most polite tone. “I believe what we have here is a misunderstanding. Amelia Pond, the human you put on trial; she was just visiting with me. If there’s any injustice that has been committed against the Gallifreyan people, I would be happy to answer for that. I would be most humbled if the council would reconvene for a retrial, I’m sure at the time of the trial, not all of the information was available.” He smiled winningly. “I’m sure you can see the sense in that.

“Most certainly.” Rassilon agreed, and then feigned a deep sigh. “But I am afraid it would be pointless at this juncture.”

“And why, exactly, is that, Lord President?” The Doctor clenched his teeth together and he found his tone was rapidly becoming less polite, he said president as though it were a curse.

“Well you see,” Rassilon leaned forward in his chair now. “In this delicate time of war, punishment must be swift and derisive. I’m afraid it has already been dealt.”

“I’m sure as the head of the council; you have some control over amending a mistake like that. As it would be a great mistake, indeed.” The threat there was no longer veiled and the Doctor stood only a few feet away from where the President sat. Rose shivered at the tone; he was on the verge of being dangerous. It almost surprised her that she would recognize it in his new form, but this was the Doctor. The destroyer of worlds, the oncoming storm. She was afraid now, afraid of what they had done to Amy, and afraid of what the Doctor would do to them in return.

“Do you think you can threaten me? Here? Did you think you could bring lesser life forms to our home world, uninvited, and let them do as they pleased? You must have known there would be consequences. I know, from your history, you are used to getting away with such things, there are always black sheep in any society, those who have fallen to the darkness.” Rassilon stood now, he was an impressive figure in his full council suit and with the stairs, he stood taller than the Doctor and the rest of them. “Did you think that human could threaten to commit genocide here and we would just forgive her trespass? I am Rassilon, creator of the time lords themselves, and you would dare threaten _me_ over a single human life?” He laughed incredulously. “I did not think you so naive, Doctor.”

“You would do well, Rassilon. To remember that you were not the only creator of the time lords.” The Doctor said in a low voice. Something akin to fear flashed across the president’s face and the imposing figure he had once been shrunk. “Now, what have you done with Amelia?”

“She must bear witness for her shame, to tamper with the genetic pool of the time lords is no small crime.” He gained some confidence knowing he was protecting his people. “She will pay for eternity, encased in stone.”

“What?” Rory’s voice quavered. “What did he just say?” James held him steady, as it seemed all the strength melted out of him.

“Why Rassilon? You must know she poses no real threat. The looms have stood for millennia! What possible harm could a girl, a _human_ girl, truly cause?” The Doctor didn’t know whether it was just to punish himself, or if Rassilon really had some deeper purpose for it.

“The effects of human genetics on the loom have been catastrophic. Bringing impurities into our own people, bringing the weakness of emotions. Her one touch could affect thousands of generations of time lords. Surely you, of all people, would know that.” Rassilon leveled the Doctor with a smug gaze.

“Should I?” The Doctor asked, genuinely curious.

“If you’ll excuse me, I have other matters to attend.” Rassilon turned to exit the council chambers.

“No.” The Doctor held up a single finger to halt him.

“No?” Rassilon grated his teeth, at the edge of his razor thin patience.

“No,” He brought the finger to his lip, trying to remember exactly what he planned. “I request access to the prisoner. This man is her husband,” He pulled a shell shocked Rory forward. “Surely he should be allowed to say goodbye.”

Rassilon considered it for a moment, trying to think of a reason to deny them. Either he could think of none, or he didn’t believe they were enough of a threat to bother with. “Very well. Afterward you will be confined to your chambers; the council will make a decision as to what to do with you, and the rest of your companions.”

“I don’t suppose you’ll need us to be around for that, eh?” The Doctor asked with a bitter smile.

“No. I think not.” Rassilon’s grin was one without mirth. He took a transporter from his robe and spun the dial carefully. “This will take you to the holding cells. And back to your chambers. Nowhere else. Ready?” He threw the transporter to the Doctor who caught it with one hand and pressed the button at the same time. They all started to dissipate in the way they had seen Amy vanish earlier, slowly dissolving into nothingness. The Doctor held Rassilon’s eyes as they left, the corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk.

“What is he doing?” Rose asked in a nervous whisper as she felt the grip she had on John fade completely, she looked down and both their hands were gone.

“It’ll be alright.” John promised her as the rest of their bodies vanished and they were swallowed into darkness.

 

 **************************************************************************************

 

“Alright then, everyone here? Everyone accounted for. No one is missing…bits?” The Doctor’s voice echoed off the walls of the small room, bringing everyone to their senses. Rory patted himself frantically at the suggestion that there might be ‘bits’ missing. Rose found John’s hand again, next to hers; it was reassuring to find that she could hold it again. The lights flickered on around them, sensing the motion of their movements. They were in a stone cave of some sort, the marks on the wall implied that it had been carved out of the ground as opposed to naturally formed.

“Doctor, what are we going to do? There’s no way he’s going to give us a fair trial.” Donna asked in a whisper, the man that was Rassilon now had shocked her, this was not the man the Doctor remembered, this was something darker.

“I don’t plan on sticking around that long, truth be told. We’ve got another,” He peered at his watch in the dim light. “Oh, forty minutes before the Dalek fleet arrives. First, we need to find Amy. She’ll be furious if we leave her behind.” He clapped his hands together and smiled encouragingly. “Let’s try this hall, shall we?” He started his march down the only path they could take, the path lit up as they walked, two trails of lights following the edge of the caves.

“Doctor.” River’s voice was uncharacteristically hollow. “It’s the angels. This is a prison for weeping angels.” They turned back to see she had stopped in the back, the Doctor pushed back through the group to see what she was staring so intently at.

“Well that’s interesting.” He commented as he came up behind where River stood, staring stock still in front of the stone wall. Except this wall was not stone, it was glass, and upon closer inspection most of the walls seemed to be lined with them. There were small cubbies within the cave where a pane of glass had been laid across like a door. Within the glass was the faint outline of a weeping angel, the stone statue seemingly harmless, holding its hands up to its eyes.

“River.” He said cautiously as he began to step forward.

“Yes, sweetie?” She said in a strained sort of way.

“Don’t blink.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” She said determinedly. He scanned the wall with the sonic screwdriver and with a bit of groaning and hissing the glass slid up into the ceiling, the light within the cell flickered on and illuminated the angel fully then. It was fairly crumbled looking, a few fingers had broken off, and the stone was worn away badly; it was clear it had been in this prison for a long time. He stepped into the cell and looked up toward the ceiling, careful not to step in the path of River’s gaze. “Oh, brilliant. Mirrored glass, that’ll keep them occupied.” He wiped his finger across the glass and tasted it carefully. “Motion sensors turn the light on, so if they move, they can see themselves.”

“Well that’s quite clever.” James conceded.

“Yes, it is.” The Doctor nodded thoughtfully. “So is the liquid nitrogen encased in the glass. To escape they’d be doused in it.”

“What would the liquid nitrogen do? They’re already stone?” River asked irritably, her eyes starting to water with the intensity of her staring.

“Yes, but they’re living stone. Nitrogen would get into their cracks, their crevices, making them very brittle stone.”

“And they would shatter if they moved.” River said with understanding.

“Yes, exactly.” He stepped back out of the cell and made the door shut behind him. He put his hand reassuringly on River’s shoulder. “We’re quite safe now, blink as much as you’d like.”

“My hero.” River muttered as they continued down the hallway. It was impressive how far the network seemed to stretch, there were crossroads often that seemed to stretch out just as far as the rest of them did, there were clearly many cells.

“How many could there be?” Donna asked in a hushed tone as her gaze lingered on more of the prisoners.

“I have no idea. I didn’t know we had started to do this, to our own people. It looks like we’ve been doing it much longer than the war.” The Doctor’s voice was angry at the thought. “I was too busy exploring the rest of the universe to give Gallifrey a careful look.”

“How do we know where she is?” Rory asked, peering down each hall as they passed. The lights on the floor reacted to their presence but shut off as they got a few more paces away. So they all ended in blackness and he dreaded the thought of being trapped in this place in the oppressive darkness, surrounded by the angels, and still not finding Amy among them.

“Have you noticed the lights?” The Doctor asked over his shoulder, continuing to move forward.

“Yeah, but they keep going out.” Rory kept looking down each hall they passed, having no idea what guided the Doctor.

“Well, there’s one up ahead of us. It hasn’t turned off yet.” He pointed down the same path they had been traveling and they all saw it then, a small square of light in the endless dark. “So I’m betting that’s where we’ll find Pond.” He turned back to reassure Rory once more. “And I promise, we will find her.” Rory nodded and they all set off again, a little more quickly now that they had a destination in mind, and the angels in the corner of their eyes. They finally reached the end of the hall and a room expanded before them. The light they had followed came from a large globe that hung from the center of the room. A second light hung down from the globe, but this one was red, and the light it produced only fell in a specific place. It illuminated four patches of floor in front of them, where four stone figures stood silently.

“Amy!” Rory cried out, rushing forward but the Doctor snagged his shirt bringing him to an abrupt stop.

“Wait. Just wait.” He looked up at the red light above them. “And stay out of the light.” He warned them all very seriously. Certain that Rory wasn’t going to run toward Amy again, he stepped forward, very cautious to stay out of the red beam of light. Amy was there, she was wearing the simple robes that all the angels wore, and they had tucked back her hair as well. She held her hand up against the light, trying to block it, but it had been useless. Her other hand was already trying to cover her weeping face. The process wasn’t quite complete, but it had definitely made her stone. There were four others, each further along than the next. The last one didn’t even have any original features of the person it once was. The face had changed to the same blank porcelain mask that the others in the cells had.

“Can’t we just turn off the light?” Donna looked around desperately. “If that’s what does it, surely they’ve got a way to change it back. The time lord’s wouldn’t make something so awful without a way to switch it back.”

“Maybe not the time lords of old. I’m not sure what Rassilon is capable of now.” The Doctor said darkly. He circled to room, looking for the controls and found them quickly enough, lowering the red beam that radiated across the statues. “Have you still got the vortex manipulator?” He asked River.

She held up her wrist where it was still attached. “Sure, but it’s been disabled. Your lot took care of that.”

“That’s easily fixed.” The Doctor shrugged stepping toward John.

“But how? They’ve got your sonic?” River looked confused.

“Well, technically, they took my sonic.” James shrugged.

“And I’ve been hanging onto the Doctor’s,” John pulled the green tipped screwdriver from his pocket.

“Hah!” Donna laughed. “You’re just a stupid human, what harm could you possibly do? That’ll teach em.”

“Oi, watch it.” John leveled the sonic at her before flipping it to the Doctor. “I’ve got human friends who’d take offense.” He smirked at Rose and squeezed her hands once.

“Fortunately for us,” The Doctor spoke while he hovered over River’s wrist, using the sonic to repair the pieces the time lords had damaged. “Rassilon doesn’t know any of them.”

“But that will just get us out of here, not off the planet. Where will we go?” River asked him.

“We will go to the TARDIS. Which will get us off the planet. And I’ve just happen to have a bit of the TARDIS right here,” He wagged the sonic in his hand. “Plug in those coordinates for me, will you?” He tossed the sonic to River who nodded and went to work.

“Now,” He clapped his hands together, facing Rory. “As to Amy. I am terribly, terribly sorry.” His voice had a touch of guilt to it.

“What do you mean sorry?” Rory shook his head disbelieving. “You’re going to help her aren’t you? You have to help her!”

“Yes, of course.” The Doctor scoffed. “You’re just not going to like it. So save that great wallop you have planned for me, maybe after we get everything settled, right? Yes? Okay, here it goes.” Rory didn’t understand most of what he had just said, but the Doctor was already striding toward Amy’s statue.

“Now, Amelia Pond. Can you hear me?” He bent down and cradled her neck with his hand. “Course you can. That’s the point isn’t it? Imprison you this way so all you can do is watch and listen. Bear witness. Well, I’m afraid we’ll have to put a stop to that.” He ruffled her hair with his other hand like he would have if it hadn’t been stone. “And I’m sorry, but I’m about to make Rory very cross with the both of us.” He flashed an apologetic smile as he swooped in and kissed her, her stone lips cold and unyielding. As he did, he breathed out, feeling the life force leaving him as he did so. It could have been a year, it could have been one hundred years, he didn’t know, but he knew he couldn’t stop until she was back. He started to feel the changed then, her hair crumbled in his hand, dust falling away to reveal red strands. Stone became skin and warmth; he exhaled just a moment longer to be sure all of the damage had been undone before opening his eyes. Amy’s own stared back at him, wide and stunned as he released her, a smirk on his lips.

“There now, everything less stony?” He grinned at her, wiping the last of her stone tears away with his thumb.

“Yes,” She swallowed. “I suppose we’re even now.” Her gaze was still startled, but she had a glint of that mischievous look she had given him once in her bedroom, seemingly ages ago.

“Yes,” He let relief flood through him then and stood up. “I suppose we are.”

“Hey!” The Doctor turned at the tug on his shoulder and spun around just in time to see Rory swing his arm back and connect with his jaw, sending him sprawling to the floor. “That’s my wife you’re snogging!” He shouted at the dazed Doctor.

“Rory!” Amy cried out, but instead of scolding him she rushed into his arms, the last of her tears falling as she pressed her face into his chest. “I thought I’d never see you again.” Rory hugged her tightly and buried his face in her hair.

“It’s alright, the Doctor got you back. You’re safe.” Rory pressed his eyes tightly shut and tried not to think about what might have happened. Amy finally stepped back and Rory stood over the Doctor with a sheepish look. He offered his hand, which the Doctor took. “I’m sorry, I know you said to wait. Thank you, for saving her.”

“No trouble at all.” He grinned as he hopped back up, dusting himself off and adjusting his bow tie once. “River, you got that manipulator ready to go?”

“Yes Doctor.” She confirmed.

“Excellent, let’s have the sonic back.” She handed it over and watched as he pointed it at the transporter Rassilon had given them.

“Doctor, what are you doing? You don’t need that, we’ve got the vortex,” River held up her wrist.

“Yes,” He squinted at the transporter and seemed satisfied with the work he had done. “There we are then.” He turned back down the hall they had come down and knelt down, swinging back with his arm and sliding it across the stone floor like a puck. “They haven’t got one.”

“Are you honestly telling me that you’re going to release the weeping angels? A completely new race of monsters that will be around for thousands of years? River’s voice shook as she stared at the Doctor.

“Yes,” He pointed his sonic down the hall and the sound of the glass doors all sliding open echoed deep into the darkness. “It’s impressive how much easier it is to make a bad decision when I already know I’ve done it.” The Doctor grinned and waggled his eyebrows as he turned the sonic to the lights and with a fizzling explosion, darkness fell again. There was only silence, and then the slow sound of stone grating against stone, raising the hairs on the back of everyone’s neck.

“Alright then, you lot. Don’t forget who released you!”

“Doctor?” Amy said, her voice now very alarmed in the claustrophobic darkness.

“Yes yes, we’re going. River, if you will.”

“Already pressed it.” River confirmed.

“Alright everyone, away we-”

 

 **********************************************************************************************

 

“Hello beautiful.” The Doctor stroked the side of the blue police box reassuringly. “Ladies,” He pointed toward the photo booth sitting next to his TARDIS. “If you would be so kind as to join Donna in her own lovely little space cube. I’ll just take the lads in here.”

“Oi,” Donna glared at him and poked her finger into his chest.” Don’t you patronize me, or my space cube.”

“Right,” The Doctor nodded very seriously as he delicately took her finger and let her arm drop. “Absolutely. No patronizing.”

“Why’ve we got to be separated?” Rose asked, clutching John’s arm, suspicious of the Doctor’s motives.

“Even out the masses,” He shrugged, taking his eyes off Donna who still looked unhappy about the ‘space cube’ comment. “The trip out is going to be a bit more bumpy. This time they know we’re here, they know who we are, and they’re likely to be a bit peeved about our escape.”

“And the release of their prisoners.” River added with her eyebrow raised.

“And, I suppose, the release of all their prisoners.” He shrugged. “A bit.”

“Alright, but what does gender have to do with it?” Rose asked, leveling him with a gaze.

“Nothing,” The Doctor clapped his hands together with a grin. “Just thought it’d be fun.” He clasped River by the hands and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Promise to be home by nine, dear. Keep the girls out of trouble; I know how you all like to get up to mischief.” He pointed his finger at Amy and Donna as well. “Come on lads, let’s go do…rowdy things. Catch a football match, drink beer. All that…normal bloke stuff.” He swung his arms around in a rousing motion but they didn’t seem to be buying it. “Trust me,” He gave them that convincing smirk that they knew better than to argue with.

“I’ll see you in a bit, kay?” Rose tugged on John’s sleeve nervously.

“Try and stop me.” He grinned and pulled her in for a kiss that stole her breath away, arms holding her in a tight embrace. Rory also seemed uncomfortable at the prospect of leaving Amy to another pilot so soon after she had been rescued.

“It’ll be fine, you dummy.” She scoffed at him with a wave of her hand and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Sides, I’ve got the Doctor Donna with me; she’s twice as clever as your boring old bow tie wearing one.”

“Probably more. Better looking too.” Donna nodded with mock seriousness. Rory grinned and released Amy with a squeeze of her hand, disappearing into the TARDIS with the Doctor, and shortly after, John.

“Hey,” Rose called to James as he started to walk into the TARDIS. “You make sure he’s coming out on the other side.” Her tone was serious. “Or you’ll answer to me.”

He nodded once, unable to help the small smirk that pulled at the corner of his lips. Rose Tyler, I promise.”

“Alright, alright, in we go.” The Doctor appeared at the door and shuffled James in, taking one last look at the planet around him before shutting the door.

“So,” James puckered his lips. “What are we really up to?” He turned his gaze to the Doctor who gave a wary grin as he approached the console. He tossed something to James who bobbled it once before he was sure he had a grip on it.

“Doesn’t that belong to River?” Rory asked, curiously looking at the armband.

“Yes, I’ve nicked it. Don’t tell the girls.” The Doctor pressed his finger against his lips with a solemn look. “Rory, I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to get you caught in this, didn’t have a lot of time to argue. James, thought that might come in handy for an old friend who’s about to drop in, or rather, about to come back with Rassilon. Maybe you might leave it laying around for someone to find.” He shrugged. “Your choice, don’t know if one good deed redeems-”

“Give me the sonic.” James interrupted him. The Doctor smirked and tossed the sonic his way as well. “Alright then, Donna? You there? Doors locked tight? Excellent, I’ll just start the sequence for you.” He spun a few dials and the other TARDIS whirred to life.

“What are you doing?” Donna looked down at her controls, confused. “What are you up to?”

“Donna, I need you to listen very carefully. We’ve got a small window here, so we have to work fast. I’ve locked onto your TARDIS, but we’re not following you. Business to attend to. I’ve sent you approximately…” He looked at his wristwatch and did some calculations in his head, all while adjusting knobs on the console. “Three-hundred thousand miles from the planet’s atmosphere. I need you to wait for us there.” Donna opened her mouth to argue, but the Doctor continued to speak. “Now, listen Donna. This is very important. Wait exactly ten minutes, not a second more or less. Wait ten minutes, and then send your ship right back where you found us all. Have you got all that?”

“What are you planning over there?” She glared at him, chin jutting out in defiance.

“Donna,” The Doctor sighed. “I’m afraid you’re just going to have to trust me.”

She hesitated a moment but finally nodded. “Alright then. Three-hundred thousand miles, ten minutes. Rose’s garden. Got it.”

“Atta girl.” The Doctor grinned at her. “See you in ten minutes.” He flipped off the screen and turned to James who was still working on the vortex manipulator. “Knew I liked her.”

“Yeah, she’s brilliant.” James said with a knowing smile.

“So then, what _are_ we doing?” John asked, his own doubts growing.

The Doctor breathed out slowly and gave a sad smile. “We’ve got to find the Moment, and then I’m afraid we’ve got to destroy Gallifrey.”

 

***********************************************************************

 

"They're up to something." Donna frowned at the screen as it went blank.

"Up to what?" Rose popped up next to her shoulder, very much interested in what Donna had to say.

"I'm not sure yet, I know that 'No reason' is rubbish. He's up to some kind of mischief. I just want to know why I wasn't invited." She scowled a little at the screen. Rose swallowed; being in the dark wasn't something she was excited about, and she certainly didn’t want to know that they were up to mischief. "Oh Rose, I'm sorry. I'm sure it's nothing. Boys and their silly games." She tried to make her grin reassuring.

"No, you're right. They've got all of the Doctor's, all except you. What does that mean?"

"Means I'm gonna kick them right up the back side when I get a hold of em." Donna huffed.

"It means the Doctor wanted us protected, in case something went wrong." River spoke in an ominous tone. "Donna, you've got his mind, what would you do?"

"Well I haven't got all of it." Donna shrugged, a little frustrated that it was the truth. "It's like he blocked off bits of it, parts that even he doesn't access unless he absolutely has to. It's complicated." She shook her head with a frown.

"Well, try your best; if I know the Doctor, I know he's going to need help." Something caught the corner of River’s eye on the scanner screen, a beacon on their radar. A tiny blip signifying that something was nearby. "Is that them already?" She inspected it closer. "It hasn't been nearly ten minutes."

"Hang on," Donna's eyes squinted on the screen. "No, that's not them."

"Yes, it is." River pulled up the visual on the screen. "Blue box, one in the same. That's the TARDIS. Guess they didn't need our help after all."

Donna's mouth opened into a wide 'o' shape. "No," She whispered. "No bloody way."

"Donna?" Rose watched her with growing apprehension. “What’s wrong?”

"That's…that's the Doctor." Donna pointed to the screen.

"Yes." River looked at her as if she had lost it completely. "That's what I just said."

"No," Donna shook her head. "Not your Doctor. Younger, much younger."

"Why's he here?" Amy stood near the door, watching the orange planet below.

"He's come to destroy Gallifrey." Donna shook her head. "He goes down…" She trailed off looking to River now. "He tried to convince the Empress to come with him. He's shot and then he puts a Time Lock around the whole place. The black hole consumes everything."

"The time lock destroyed everything, the Time Lords and the Dalek's alike. And now they're going to be caught in it too. What is that fool of a man doing down there?" River asked, upset again by the mention of the Empress.

"The time lock wouldn't have done anything, just trapped them there. The black hole was stable…oh." Donna stared off into space for a moment. "Oh those toads." She looked irritated now. "They're doing it now. They know the time lock will protect everything else so they can unstabilize the black hole, consuming everything. How are they gonna… ah, yes. The Moment, the Hand of Omega, that'll mess things right up. How is he going to find it though?" Donna was completely lost in her own thoughts.

"Er, Donna?" River tried to get Donna's attention back to the scanner screen.

"Sure, sure," Donna nodded toward River. "Rassilon's got it. Course he does, big all-powerful piece of equipment like that. You know how boys like to show off their-"

"Donna!" River cut her off, her eyes glued to the screen now. "We've got a problem."

"What is it now?" Donna sighed and returned her attention to the screen.

"Dalek's." River said, drawing all of their attention. She pulled the screen down so everyone could see it. A giant ship blipped across the screen for a moment before static interrupted and the profile of a Dalek appeared. "And I think they've found us."

"IDENTIFY." The gravelly voice came on over the intercom with insistence. "IDENTIFY. IDENTIFY!"

"Oh god." Rose brought her shaking hand to her mouth.

 

********************************************************************************************

 

"So," Rory clapped his hands together with a bracing smile. "What's the plan then?"

"Plan?" James spoke the word like it was poison. He looked toward the Doctor with disgust. "You're planning things now? Am I really that old?"

"No, no.” The Doctor shook his head. “Still very much a 'seat of one's pants' type of planning. Remember, you're only as old as you feel." The Doctor reassured him with a grin.

"What?" Rory looked at them both, his confidence in the men rapidly diminishing. "You just said we've got to destroy the planet, avoid that Rassilon man, and do it in the next ten minutes, or we're all dead. You're telling me you don't have a plan for that?"

"Of course we have a plan Rory!”

“Oh thank god.” Rory said, supporting his weight on the console.

“You've just said the plan!" The Doctor grinned winningly but all the color seemed to have left Rory’s face. The Doctor scowled and waved away his lack of enthusiasm. "Don't be such a worry wart; the details of the plan are coming along as we speak. And if you let your mouth hang open like that, you'll catch flies." He strode over to the door of the TARDIS and looked through a thin crack.

"You've got a bug problem?" James asked, stroking the console of the TARDIS sympathetically.

"Course not; it's just a thing people say." The Doctor poked his finger out the door and tasted it thoughtfully. " _Earth_ people." He muttered mutinously.

"Standing right here." Rory waved irritably.

"Don't worry." John tried to reassure Rory with a pat on the back. "There's always a plan, it just doesn't always get sorted out until…later."

"Thank you." Rory said in a tone that suggested John had done very little to help.

“Yeah,” John frowned. “Sounded better in my head.”

"Alright boys, coast is clear. Geronimo!" The Doctor said excitedly, rolling up his sleeves.

"Still no Allons-y?" James asked, concern marring his features.

"Afraid not, bit of an acquired taste, I found." James still seemed to disapprove. "I'm sorry chap, you think maybe we could discuss it after…you know, the destruction business?"

"Alright, but we will discuss it." James gave a curt nod.

"Onward then." The Doctor said with renewed gusto and they clambered out of the TARDIS together. Rory saw that they were back in the city, in a hall similar to the one they had followed to find the Loom.

"Well, do we know what we're looking for?" Rory tried to ask helpfully, "Is there a big 'self-destruct' button somewhere for the planet." His sarcasm was largely lost on them.

"Yes, there is." The Doctor said grimly. "They call it the Hand of Omega."

"Oh," Said a startled Rory. "Sounds ominous."

_____

"Alright, that should do it. I've parked her." River reassured everyone. They had deactivated the video on the scanner, but just to be safe they had also pointed it up toward the ceiling to avoid the creeping fear that someone was watching.

"The last time they just took the whole TARDIS on board," Rose chewed her lip. "What's to stop them from doing that?"

"Me of course." River beamed at her. "Actually knowing how to park it." Rose had to admit, she certainly looked like she knew what she was doing when she had been rushing around the ship.

"Sooo, what's going to happen in ten minutes when we unpark it?" Amy asked. She had pulled the curtain back and watched the other ship from afar. It wasn't terribly close, looming out there in the space, but it was huge, and it was close enough to be intimidating.

"I should be able to get us moving before they realize." River said briskly, her false bravado only cracking slightly. But enough for an edgy Amy to have her doubts.

"Should we warn them?" Rose thought of her husband, and the Doctor's down on the planet below.

"No," Donna said with a firm shake of her head. "They're going to use the slingshot velocity to yank them through time and space, once to get off the planet, and again to get us all out of the time lock. As soon as they take off, they'll cease to exist, technically."

"Well, I hope the clock runs out before the Dalek's show up." Rose sighed and looked out over Amy's shoulder at the daunting ship.

"Aren't we safe here? They can't pull us in, River said-" Amy's eyes flashed with concern now and Donna cut her off.

"They can't pull us in, River's right." She shrugged. "But there's nothing to stop them from coming to us."

"Well," Amy crossed her arms across her chest and resumed her watch, now with real purpose. "That's a cheery thought."

 

*******************************************************************************************

 

“Um, what was that?” Rory asked in a tone verging on panic. His eyes darted back and forth down the largely empty halls, he was almost certain he had heard a gunshot. It echoed down the halls and masked where it had come from originally.

“Oh, I’ve been shot.” The Doctor said dismissively, his face set in a frown.

“Oh my god, are you alright?” Rory’s instincts kicked in immediately and he began to search for the exit wound, wondering where he could find some bandages to patch it up. “I don’t see…” He stopped his search and peered curiously at the Doctor who showed no signs of being injured at all.

“Well, not now.” The Doctor shrugged. “Not me now. Me before.” He waved his hand as though that would help Rory to understand and ducked down another corridor that looked the same as all of the others.

“You?” He turned to James; he looked no more injured than the Doctor had.

“Naw, before me. Well, before him too.”

“But…it’s happening now…” Rory felt as though his brain were about to do some serious damage.

“Yeah,” James saw how bewildered Rory looked and stopped. “It’s…complicated. What do you say we just forget it?”

“Done.” Rory agreed.

“There’s a good lad.” James grinned. They rounded the corner and stepped through an open set of doors leading back to the council chambers.

“About to go on a little trip, are we, Rassilon?” The Doctor spoke to the cloaked figure that stood at the top of the dais, peering into the Eye of Horace as it cracked and spun, suspended within the protective dome, it had been supporting the time lords for eons. Rassilon turned to face them; rage contorted his face into that of a monster.

“You are a difficult man to destroy.” He sneered.

“Yeah, I get that a lot actually. I always tell people it’s in the legs, but of course, no one listens.” The Doctor shrugged. “Oh, guards!” He clapped as two men in capes and headgear stepped in from the side entrance. “You’ve got us good, Rassilon! We’re doomed! Oh, hang on, what’s this? Oh, you’re all wearing the same bio-signature dampeners to avoid the Dalek’s from finding you up here? Hope I don’t do something rash with that kind of information.” The Doctor pulled out his sonic and as Rassilon recognized it, his face turned to shock.

“Doctor!”

“Oops.” He held the sonic screwdriver aloft and flipped it to its highest frequency; Rory had to plug his ears to keep the noise from drilling into his brain. The guards dropped where they stood and Rassilon collapsed on the dais, struggling to keep himself conscious as the Doctor lowered the screwdriver with a grin. “Hope I didn’t overload the power cell.”

“Did you kill them?” Rory looked back at the guards, horror crossing over his features.

“Of course not Rory, I always set my phaser to stun.” The Doctor walked slowly toward Rassilon who clutched at his chest, beads of sweat forming across his forehead. His other hand lay limp on the ground, but as the Doctor tried to approach, he tried to lift it, made one last effort to attack. “How about I just take that off your hands for now, shall I?” Rassilon wore a pair of the gauntlets, but he could feel which one was the original, and which was the fraud. He plucked the glove from his right hand, it slid off easier than he expected. He looked from it, to the Eye of Horace and knew what he had to do.

The glove slid onto his hand like it had been made for him, the metal seemed as though it fused to his skin as it went on. Impossible for him to tell now where his flesh ended and the glove began. It was instantly warm like the rest of him; he slowly flexed his fist and inspected it carefully. There was no damage, no marks to imply its age, and yet he knew it was the one; this was _the_ Hand of Omega. Of that, there was no doubt. Each beat of his hearts coursed more of the power through him, probably why Rassilon had stayed conscious while his guards had fallen. This one little glove could shift whole universes, change entire time lines without consequence, he could reprogram the human race to live for centuries at a time, he could make it so the Time War never was.

“Doctor?” Rory spoke up quietly; the change over the Doctor’s face had made him nearly unrecognizable. A sly grin had stretched across his lips as he stared wide-eyed at his hand.

“Quite the feeling, is it not?” Rassilon spoke from where he still lay, clutching his chest. “All the power of the universe, in your right hand.”

“Yes,” He responded, finally noticing everyone else in the room again. He blinked once but continued to stare at the glove. “It is.”

“You know now, what you could do. What that kind of power could create.” Rassilon managed to lift himself into a sitting position with his weight supported by the throne. “And what you could destroy.”

“There’s been plenty of that already.” The Doctor spoke remorsefully.

“Yes,” Rassilon spoke in a whisper. “And now you wish to do more. But just think, think for one moment. What if you didn’t have to destroy Gallifrey? You are the Doctor after all, is it not your calling to heal our wounds instead of aggravating them?”

“I wish I could. I wish I could be more.” The Doctor raised an eyebrow at Rassilon. “And yet here I am.” He turned to the Eye of Horace, it stood silently in the dome, glowing brightly like a white-hot star. But it was just the seal, protecting it; he knew that within it was the darkest black, an endless void through which no light could escape.

“You are here because of what the war has forced me to do. What the Dalek’s have forced upon us. Perhaps I am a foolish old man, I think only of Gallifrey, of my people, can you blame me?” Rassilon shook his head.

“No,” The Doctor frowned. “I suppose I can’t.”

“I see that hatred burn within you, Doctor. I know how it consumes you, that blame, that guilt. All those lost lives, all those tragedies. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Doctor,” Rassilon’s voice rasped but he spoke with intensity. “You do not have to suffer alone. Suffer needlessly.”

“He’s not alone.” Rory finally spoke up; the way the Doctor was listening to this man was starting to concern him. This same man had turned Amy to stone and laughed about it. “He’s got us.”

Rassilon shot him a dangerous glare and Rory found himself taking a step back instinctively. “Humans,” He spat the word out. “They are not your people. Look at them, weak, cowardly, fragile like glass. They are not fit to be companions to you. To travel the whole of the universe, all of the stars, and all the galaxies; and you are trapped with tourists.” He laughed. “Fumbling apes who look to you to protect them. You are not a shepherd, Doctor. You are a wolf. You should be with other wolves.”

“You cast me out, long ago.” The Doctor spoke, but it lacked any real emotion behind it.

“We only did that because you so cavalierly threw us aside all those years back.” Rassilon chuckled good-naturedly. “To be spurned by your own kind, in exchange for such a weak little species.” He shook his head. “You must understand why that made us so bitter. Join us Doctor. Heal our wounds. Save Gallifrey, and yourself.”

“But.” James spoke then, eying both the Doctor and Rassilon warily. “In order to do that, you have to blink everything else out of existence.” The Doctor blinked and finally took a moment to look up at the rest of them, but his eyes were filled with sadness.

“Yes, such is the price to live forever, among your own kind. To be reborn as a being of pure consciousness. No physical needs, no weakness; only strength. And you would never be alone,” He had the Doctor’s ear now. “Ever again. Never wander lost without hope, the last of your kind. You don’t have to be that man anymore.”

“We’re still here.” John said determinedly. “What you want is death for everyone, Rassilon.”

“Not death.” Rassilon glared at John. “Death is what you bring when you go gallivanting around with this common species.” He spat the words out and returned his attention to the Doctor. “It would not be a death, it would be a ‘never was’. To cease to have existed in a universe that was never meant for them. Would that be so wrong?”

The Doctor looked at Rassilon for a long hard moment. The need was within him, that need to not be the very last; to not have that burden placed on him. Rassilon knew that, he could see that dark mark on his soul, and the words he spoke all sounded right. What could be so wrong about that?

“He’s not alone.” John said fiercely, repeating Rory’s sentiment and walking toward the Doctor.

“Aren’t I?” He gave a sad smile and stared down into nothingness. “Who do I know that won’t eventually leave me? Who among you won’t wither and die, leaving me here again, alone?”

“It doesn’t matter.” John took the Doctor by the shoulders, shaking what sense he could into him. “That’s not the point; it’s not all about you. Life is for living, not avoiding pain. It’s miserable and horrid and exquisite all at once. The miracle of births, the tragedy of war, watching a species reach further than it ever has before. It’s all worth it, it’s worth everything. No matter how alone you may feel. That doesn’t matter.”

“He’s wrong.” Rory spoke suddenly. The Doctor’s distant look cleared a little and he looked directly at Rory.

“What?” James was incensed. “What do you mean ‘He’s wrong’, I have it on good authority that he’s never wrong!”

“Well, it does matter. But even if you are miserable sometimes, even if you feel alone. There are times you aren’t. Amy once told me, about when the two of you saw Van Gogh. She said you told her something that made her feel better. That life was made up of piles of good things, and bad things. And the thing is, I think you’ve got quite a lot in your good pile. But all you’re thinking about now, is the bad pile.” Rory mumbled at the end, not sure how to finish his point and uncomfortable under the full attention of the Doctor. “It does matter, but…you know it matters more that the world continues. Because if it doesn’t…” He didn’t know what else to saw.

“Van Gogh killed himself.” The Doctor said bitterly, remembering the cottage filled with beautiful paintings.

“Van Gogh was alone.” Rory shrugged. The Doctor’s eyes glittered then and his lips slowly curved into a smile.

“He’s just a _human_.” Rassilon insisted, realizing he was losing the Doctor. “He is limited by a weak physical form and mind.”

“Hush.” The Doctor’s eyes were still on Rory, but he held the gloved hand out to silence the President. “It’s not about what he is. It’s about what he could be. Thank you for reminding me, Rory.”

“Not a problem.” Rory nodded and felt more comfortable when the Doctor’s gaze finally returned to Rassilon.

“It’s about potential, Rassilon. Rory here has got loads of it. He wants a family, he wants to be a doctor, he wants to grow old with Amy.” He grinned at the thought of the two of them finally settling down some day. “And there are billions of people just like him, wanting all sorts of things. Oh, Rassilon, you should see it. The things they’ll accomplish, it’s mind boggling.” And then his smile faded. “But you, with a time traveling empire. All of space and time, the things you could do. And yet, when I look into your future, there is nothing. You were always heading for this. Always going to bring the universe to a complete halt, denying everything an existence simply so you can live forever. Eternal peace, but also, eternal damnation. Your existence has stagnated, Rassilon. You are nothing.”

Rassilon sneered at him, up on his feet quicker than any of them expected. “A betrayer to the last.” He growled and launched himself at the Doctor.

“Look out!” James shouted, John spun to see him coming and threw himself between the dagger and the Doctor.

“No!” The Doctor shouted, but it was too late. The dagger hit home, John and Rassilon tumbled to the ground, John emitting a painful groan as he fell. The Doctor raised his gauntleted fist, fury plain in his eyes, but before he could unleash it, Rassilon began to vanish.

“Ah, it is time to go Doctor. Can you hear the drums?” He grinned and dissipated entirely.

“No, no no no!” The Doctor shouted, yelling his frustration at nothing.

“I’ve got to get something to stop the bleeding!” Rory was leaning over John who was growing paler as he laid there, a dark crimson spreading through his shirt.

“John, you listen to me. Hang on. You’ve got Rose out there waiting, right? You know how angry she’ll be if you…” The Doctor sniffed and shook his head. “Best not to think on that. Just hold on.” He stood and tore some of the cape from one of the fallen guards who still had not stirred and tossed it to Rory. “See what you can do with that.” He then turned his attention back to the Eye of Horace. Opening his hand slowly he shook and let out a slow breath, hesitating a moment. “This one was still difficult to make.” He spoke mostly to himself but nodded once and brought his hand closed into a fist. The ground around them rumbled and the building itself groaned. “Get back to the TARDIS. I’m going to wait for Rassilon.” He strode over to the throne and sat himself down.

“What? You can’t wait, you’ve just unstabilized the black hole, this place is going to be torn apart!” James shouted at him.

“I’ve got two minutes. Leave the vortex manipulator.” When they didn’t make a move to leave he stood again. “Go!” He shouted.

Rory didn’t want to argue with the fury in the Doctor’s eyes and he didn’t want to stick around to find out exactly what James meant by the place being torn apart. He hoisted John into his arms, who moaned pitifully and started back down the path they had taken in.

“I’m not leaving you!” James argued defiantly. “Not after all this.”

The Doctor smirked. “You left me ages ago; you’re the man that could never be.”

“I could travel with you! You don’t have to be the last anymore.”

But the Doctor just shook his head. “It’s alright James. It’s okay, I’ve got it sorted. You better go; John is going to need you.” He said with a sad smile. James could see he was determined and thought of Rose then, and how she’d never be the same if he let John die.

“Don’t lose yourself.” James locked eyes with the Doctor until he nodded once, and then he turned down the hall to run after Rory.

“Good luck.” The Doctor muttered to his retreating form.

 

****************************************************************************************

 

“John, you’ve got to stay with me.” James was clutching John’s blood streaked hand in his own, begging him to hold on. “We’ve got things to do; you’ve got to tell me all about those kids of yours. What were their names?” James remembered of course, but it didn’t matter, John had to keep fighting. The TARDIS shook violently as Gallifrey rumbled and groaned beneath them, but he didn’t care, couldn’t care about any of that.

“Sarah,” John’s voice was hoarse and blood leaked out from the corner of his mouth. “She’s so much like her mother. And Mickey-” He started to cough and James tightened his grip, blinking back his tears. Rory had done his best, he had found bandages in the TARDIS and patched John up quite neatly, but it didn’t seem to be enough.

“His blood pressure is still dropping,” Rory pulled the stethoscope from his ears and looked apologetically at James. “I think he’s bleeding internally.” It was difficult to look at James, his eyes filled with such desperation. “I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do.” Rory lowered his gaze, unable to stare into those eyes that now filled with so much pain. James swallowed, fighting the urge to scream and shout about the unfairness of it all. But he knew it wasn’t Rory’s doing, and so he just nodded once, the defeat washing over him like a cold shower. “Sorry.” Rory repeated once more before stepping back, giving them a moment alone. James returned his attention to John who seemed to have stopped coughing.

“Yeah, what’s Mickey like? Is he like his dad?” James asked, trying to plaster a brave smile to his face. John was having trouble speaking, the blood gurgling up between his lips, so he just nodded. He turned to the side and spat, crimson spraying across the TARDIS’ floor. “It should have been me.” James helped John sit up and cradled his head in his arms. “I’m sorry, it should have been me.” He kept shaking his head, the strain fracturing his carefully constructed mask.

“Rose,” Was all John could say before another coughing fit overtook him.

“Oh gods.” James ran his hand down his face. He hadn’t thought it could be any worse, watching this man die in his arms. But there was more to consider than just his own sense of loss. “What can I tell her? Oh god, what do I say to Rose?” John gripped his shirt then, staring up at him with pain-streaked eyes. He pulled him close and struck him with his forehead using surprising force. James was momentarily stunned by the display of strength, but it faded as he crumpled back into his arms. And then the memories flooded into him like a tidal wave. Sarah’s favorite color ribbon for her hair, Mickey’s collection of action figures, their favorite places to hide when they were sneaking about the house, Rose’s habit of tearing up old receipts. It was the whole of John’s life since that day he had been created on the TARDIS. It made it all the more painfully clear what he had missed. James had done so much more in his time, and yet it now seemed so insignificant. So meaningless. “Why? Why are you showing me?” He felt his face contorting with his misery, John’s eyes fluttered as raised his hand and patted James’ cheek with a weak smile. And then he understood. “No,” He shook his head resolutely, angry tears falling from his eyes. “I won’t do that; I won’t take that from you. John, she doesn’t love me anymore. I’ve seen it in her eyes, she loves you. You have to stay. You must!”

“James,” John still smiled but what little life there was in him was trickling away faster. “You’re going to be a father.” The words didn’t make sense, and then it felt as though the air had been sucked out of the room. He saw it, the small bulge in Rose’s belly, the feeling of life kicking away inside, the hope that it brought. There was going to be a baby.

“I can’t…” James gasped, shaking his head. “Oh, I just can’t. You’re better; you’re a better version than I ever was. Oh John, I can’t replace you.”

“For Rose.” John took a deep ragged breath. “Have to be-” His eyes rolled back in his head and he choked out the last. “Better.” A long shuddering sigh followed the word, and John fell limp in his arms.

“Don’t you dare,” James threatened, shaking him once. But John’s eyes remained shut and he did not stir. “I’m sorry.” He gathered him up in his arms then, unwilling to let him go. He clenched his eyes shut and sobbed, rocking John in his arms. “I’m so sorry.” He whispered again, his voice just as broken as his spirit.

 

**************************************************************************

 

The Doctor waited in the empty council chamber, sitting on the throne normally reserved for the Lord President himself. He wasn’t feeling very lordly at that very moment, he was feeling very old, and very tired.

“Was it the right choice?” He asked himself in the relative silence. The planet did rumble around him and the glass windows chattered as they climbed toward their breaking point. “Destroying them all over again?” His voice echoed the sadness of having once lived with that decision. Every dark lonely moment on the TARDIS all stemmed back to this one choice he had _thought_ he had made, so many years ago.

Of course, he hadn’t _really_ destroyed them again; he truly never had in the first place. But he believed he had, and fought with the burden ever since. He drew his hand across his face and sighed. Certainly it was the right decision; it was the only decision. Rassilon was so intent on destroying the cosmos, simply so he could endure forever. There was so much to see and do in the universe, so much wonder. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t explain that better, why he couldn’t make Rassilon see what he was extinguishing.

“No one ever listens.” He smiled to himself. A moment of self-pity made him consider staying behind with his people, his planet, ‘going down with the ship’ as they say. But that thought was gone as soon as it entered his mind. He was still needed here; they would wait for him in the TARDIS. Stubborn to the last, that was one quality he always managed to find in his companions, and himself. No, he would just have to carry on with this burden, the destruction of his people, for a while longer.

The earthquakes were stronger now and he found himself gripping the armrests to keep steady. This violence had little to do with the Eye of Horace, the full destruction of that had yet to be released. This was a sign of the planet dragging itself across light years of time and space to reach the Earth. If he looked out the window now, he could see the little blue planet on the horizon. But he didn’t look; he didn’t want to remember that day, so long ago. With a final rumble it was over, the immortality gate had shattered and those who had descended to Earth were returning to the chamber.

Rassilon was clinging to his staff, all of his strength left him, and he struggled to stay upright. The Master lay on the floor, flickering between life and the phantom he had become. The other members of the council looked afraid, frightened of Rassilon’s weakness, and of their failure in escaping the time war. The Doctor raised his gloved hand and snapped his fingers, the council members ceased to move, time had come to a stop.

Rassilon noticed the growing silence, interrupted only by the rumbles of the planet and his own wheezing. He looked up across the room to find the Doctor’s stormy eyes watching him from his throne.

“You do not frighten me, Doctor. I have dealt with worse than a renegade time lord. I have seen beyond the veil. You could not kill me in the past, and you cannot kill me now.” He sneered at him, managing to lift himself straight. He nodded to where the Master lay between them. “You had to have some diseased pest do it for you.” He glared back at the Doctor. “You are a coward.” The Doctor stood from the throne and descended the few steps to where the Master lay, his breathing shallow and his eyes struggling to focus.

“Doctor?” His voice was strangled, but he still managed to recognize him. “You have changed. Did we stop him?”

The Doctor smiled and patted the Master’s cheek reassuringly. “You were brilliant. Now you just sit tight.”

“Won’t go far,” The Master tried to smile, but instead, had to grimace.

“Hush now, you’ll be alright.” The Doctor folded the Master’s arms across his chest, which seemed to ease his breathing.

“Killing friend and foe, it has been a busy day for you, Doctor.” Rassilon spat his name like a curse, gaining the attention of the Doctor. “Why don’t you finish us off then? So you can live with your precious pets.” The Doctor stood and walked slowly toward the weakened man. He trembled with his grip on the staff, but he refused to look away as the Doctor approached. “Do it.” He hissed. “But know that I will return. And you will _never_ be forgiven.”

“I will never be forgiven, because I will never forgive myself.” The Doctor’s voice was sharp with regret. “We should have been able to work together, you know. You and I, we could have fixed this, we could have saved some.” The Doctor stopped to shake his head, staring down at the Hand of Omega; his eyes were filled with bitterness. “But you only wanted to destroy, so this world is filled with death, and now, it will be consumed by it.”

“End it before I have to listen to you prattle on any longer.”

“No.” The Doctor said softly. “I’m not going to kill you, Rassilon. I’m going to give you exactly what you wanted. Eternal life.”

Rassilon laughed at him, his face devoid of joy. “Even with the Hand of Omega, you are incapable of such a punishment.”

“No, actually. I think you’ll find, I am not.” The Doctor smirked.

“I was there for the forging, that gauntlet contains more power than your inferior looming could ever dream of.”

“Do you know who I am, Rassilon?” The Doctor watched Rassilon carefully and made a wide circle around him. “I used to think I did, but then I put on this glove and I remembered. Well, I remembered everything.”

“You are the Doctor. A particularly unwelcome thorn in my side.” Rassilon snapped his glare at the Doctor as he came around to the front again.

“Indeed, here I thought we were having a polite conversation.” The Doctor pulled a face. “But the name, Doctor. I chose it. It was not my given name. Think back, Rassilon, think way back.”

“What…what are you saying?” Rassilon had something akin to fear in his voice for the first time, doubts were worming their way into his mind.

“It’s been a long time for us both. We’ve spent some time beyond the veil. And you came back intent on destroying this plane of reality, why do you think that is?”

“It is because I am genetically more pure than you; I know what it is to save my people. To sacrifice everyth-”

“You sacrifice nothing!” The Doctor shouted, his voice like thunder in the quiet hall. “You carelessly toss aside others; you were going to destroy six billion people, six billion _lives_ , to keep Gallifrey afloat. But only so you could have the time to unravel all of reality itself. It is because you are small, and selfish, and insignificant.” His jaw was clenched as he spoke, the fury of a time lord had been set loose. He found his hand on Rassilon’s throat, almost without realizing it. “And now my friend is dying, and you are so, so very…little.” He felt his grip tightening around his neck. Rassilon’s face began to turn a darker shade of red, his eyes radiating hate. The Doctor let out a shuddering breath and loosened his fist, but did not release it.

“What will it be, Rassilon? Will you yield? Will you cast aside your plans? Give up this horrid war? We can end this differently. Time _can_ be rewritten.” His voice was desperate to be heard, pleading with the man. There had to be a reason he was here, had to be some point.

“Never.” Rassilon spat at him.

“Then it’s time to end it. I’m going to let you watch this war, for all eternity.” The glove began to glow in his hands; he could feel the warmth and power radiating from it, fusing with his life energy, eager to do his bidding.

“You cannot!” Rassilon watched the glowing glove with disbelief, trying to shake his head but unable to move.

“And why can’t I?” The Doctor tilted his head with an angry frown, curious to hear the answer.

“You do not…” Rassilon’s voice trailed off, a dawning recognition in his eyes.

The Doctor leaned in close to Rassilon, “What’s my name Rassilon?” His voice had taken on a frightening edge and he stared deep into the president’s eyes.

“You cannot be _him_.” He spoke the words breathlessly. And then the Doctor smiled.

“That’s right, Rassilon. It’s me. Thought the loom would destroy me, but you were wrong. Oh, you were so _very_ wrong.”

“You have returned,” Rassilon’s voice shook with feigned joy. “Let our people-”

“You have no people. Nor do I.” The Doctor snarled, letting the power travel down his arm and through the glove. “This is it, Rassilon. I was the beginning, and now I am the end.” He tightened his grip once, the power exploding through Rassilon’s body. The time lord threw his head back in a silent scream and his eyes bulged out for only a moment, and then he was gone. His staff clattered to the floor and his clothing collapsed into a heap of nothing. “Enjoy eternity.” The Doctor spoke to the air, but he knew he could hear him. That was his doom, and he would live with it forever.

“Doctor…” The Master’s voice caught him off guard; he had to blink several times before remembering who and where he was. He turned back to where the Master lay, kneeling by his side. “I think this is the end now.” The Master gave a weak smile.

“No. No, this is just the beginning.” The Doctor smiled and brought his gloved hand to cradle the Master’s face. Another build up of power released and the Master gasped, contorting as though he had been shocked. His eyes flew open as he strained to breathe.

“What-” He clenched his teeth and a ripple of pain shot through him like a seizure, it passed just as quick as it came, and he sagged to the ground again. The flickering skeletal form did not return and each breath he drew made him feel stronger than the last. “What have you done?” His voice was a mix of awe and horror. “Doctor…the drums…” He shook his head, disbelief clouding his features. “What have you done?”

“Call it a second chance if you’d like, old friend.” The Doctor patted his cheek with a smile and placed the vortex manipulator in his hands. “Look me up sometime.” He grinned and then tapped the button.

“Docto-” The Master called out, but he was gone. Somewhere far from the war, somewhere he could hopefully find some peace. The Doctor sighed as he stood up, feeling the true weight of his years for the very first time. The rest of the council still stood motionless and he released them from their prisons with another snap of his fingers.

“Doctor?” A women dressed in red robes spoke first, the only one with the courage to approach him. Her brown hair graying at its peak.

“Yes, mother. It’s me.” He managed a weak smile, which she returned.

“Is this the end?” She asked, already knowing the answer. He bent to kiss her forehead once and nodded.

“Yes, this is the end.” He fought back the lump that grew in his throat. She gave a quick nod in acknowledgment and gripped his hand in her own.

“Then I just wanted to let you know,” She looked up at him then, tears in her eyes. “That you’ve made me so very proud. And you are forgiven. Always and completely.” She whispered the last with a smile on her lips. “Now go, there isn’t much time.”

“Thank you.” His voice was thick with emotion and he found he couldn’t say anything more. He removed the glove from his hand and tossed it into the Eye of Horace, still rumbling and shaking the planet beneath their feet. He was unsure if he could forget what the glove had unleashed in his mind, but he would certainly try. His walk back to the TARDIS was a blur, the walls of the city had started to crack and crumble around him. It was only a matter of moments now before the entire fleet of the Dalek’s would be upon the city, and after that, the black hole would devour everything, forever. He hurried his pace, but it was hard to feel much joy when he finally found the TARDIS waiting for him.

He paused outside the door. “Goodbye.” He whispered once, his forehead pressed against the wood of the TARDIS, unable to look back at Gallifrey. Couldn’t bear the thought of seeing it again, once more, before it was gone. He sniffed once and wiped his face before entering the doors of the ship. John lay motionless on the floor with James holding him in his arms. Rory looked miserable, sitting on the floor near the console and was relieved to see the Doctor.

“Right then,” The Doctor cleared his throat. “What’s happened?”

James shook his head, finally looking up to acknowledge the Doctor, his eyes still fresh with tears. “He’s gone. Doctor, he’s gone. And there’s nothing I can do.” James’ voice shook as he spoke. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.” He whispered to John’s deaf ears.

“James, I’m sorry, I truly am. But it’s not your fault. It’s mine.” The Doctor ran his hands through his hair miserably.

“Hah.” James shook his head with a strained smile. “Think a trick like that will work on me?”

“Really,” The Doctor crouched down next to James, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I should have known better than to bring you into this mess. None of you should be here. You don’t think I’m different, but I’m really much older than you.” He frowned, revealing the ugly truth. “I’ve destroyed lives, and I know it too. People get caught up in the glamour, and so do I. But I shouldn’t have, not this time. He had a family, and I should have-” He had to stop himself then, thinking of Rose still hurt sometimes. “I should have said no. And I didn’t. And I’m sorry, sorrier than you can imagine.”

“It doesn’t matter.” James shook his head. “It’s all gone wrong.”

“I’ll tell her.” He whispered, he didn’t want to, but it was his responsibility. But it would kill him less than it did James. “I’ll explain.”

“I promised he’d come back.” James looked at him with haunted eyes. “I promised her.”

“She’ll understand.” The Doctor started but James just laughed with a miserable bitterness. “Alright, she’ll skin us alive, spiral into a deep depression, and hate us forever. But,” He held his finger up. “She’s strong. And she _will_ survive it.” The Doctor smiled in his sad way, remembering Rose Tyler. “That’s why we love her so much.”

“No.” James whispered, his eyes going distant.

“She _will_ get through it.” The Doctor insisted.

“No, not that. I was so stupid. He was trying to tell me. John was explaining. Oh, I must have been blind. I didn’t see!” James suddenly had new life in him and he pulled at his hair.

“See what?” The Doctor asked cautiously, concerned with James’ new enthusiasm.

“The chameleon arch; do you still have it?”

“I suppose…” The Doctor frowned but it dawned on him what James was suggesting. “You can’t mean to-”

“Oh yes. That’s exactly what he was saying. I’m not meant to replace him, I’m meant to be him.”

“James, are you sure?” The Doctor searched his eyes, looking for doubts.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” James held his gaze steady. “I promised her.”

“Hang on, what are we talking about?” Rory interrupted the intensity of the conversation, starting to wonder exactly what was going on. The Doctor spared a glance over his shoulder at Rory, but returned to James. Still looking for any creeping misgivings.

“James here wants to become a human. And he wants to tell Rose that he died, and that John lived.” There was a long uncomfortable pause.

“Can you…do that?” Rory’s voice implied that he was hoping the answer was ‘no’.

“Technically? Yes. But he won’t be quite the same. They’ve had different life experiences since they’ve parted ways. There’s no way to guarantee she’ll believe him.”

“That’s just it,” James was shaking his head. “He gave those to me. I know that Mickey likes his peanut butter and jam without the crust. I know that Rose still works at Torchwood. And I’m a teacher, in art.” He laughed. “This is what he wanted.”

The Doctor frowned, leaning forward. “May I?” He asked, James nodded eagerly. He pressed his hand against his temple, and he could see it, see the last ten years of Rose’s life in a flash. He had given him everything, every experience, the whole of his world. He had entrusted all of that to James. “Oh…my.” He said as he pulled his hand back.

“Isn’t that a bit…sick?” Rory asked.

“Do you remember the flesh, Rory?” The Doctor now turned his full attention to Rory. Whatever doubts he may have had about James were gone. “Remember Jimmy, and his little boy Adam?”

“Well, yes…”

“Do you remember when you died? And then became the last centurion?” The Doctor asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Well, but I mean.” Rory shook his head. “That was different?” His argument started to die on his lips.

“Different how, Rory?”

“I guess, I mean.” He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “It seems wrong to lie to her.”

“You’re right about that.” The Doctor gripped Rory’s shoulders seriously. “But I suppose that is the first rule you learn when traveling with me. The Doctor lies.” He smirked bitterly. “But there are many reasons to lie, Rory. I think keeping a family together is as good a reason as I’ve ever had.”

Rory stared at the Doctor, and then looked over his shoulder where James sat, still clutching John’s unmoving form. “I suppose you’re right. If it was Amy-” He shook his head and shrugged. “I’d want her to be happy.”

“Good lad.” James nodded his grateful thanks.

“Alright then, now that we’ve decided on that.” The Doctor checked his watch. “Oh dear. Cutting it rather close.” He ran over to the scanner screen and flipped the switch back on.

“The Doctor said ten minutes,” River’s voice could be heard clearly over the intercom but there was no one on screen. “He’s got to have said it for a reason. Fifteen, fourteen, thirteen…”

“I’m not leaving them down there!” Rose shouted back at her angrily. “And I’m certainly not going anywhere without my husband.”

“Nor am I!” Amy sounded equally upset.

“Rose, if we don’t go when the Doctor said, they might not get out of the time lock at all.” Donna’s voice was cool and reasonable, surprising considering who it was coming from.

“Seven, six, five…” River’s voice started to sound shriller as the countdown dwindled.

“It’s alright! Everyone, it’s alright! We’re all in, ready to go. Eager, really.” The Doctor spoke loudly to be heard over the argument. There was a loud crunching sound in the background and someone screamed.

“It’s getting in!” Amy cried out.

“EXTERMINATE!” The mechanical voice was loud and clear over the intercom. Their blood ran cold as they recognized the voice of the Dalek’s.

“Get out of there! Get out!” The Doctor shouted at the screen.

“Three, two, one!” Donna shouted as River could be heard firing off her weapon. The engines started up with their usual hum and then with an incredible bang they were all thrown to the floor of the TARDIS as it hurtled through space. It trembled violently as it went, worse than the usual bumps; the g-forces were so strong they were unable to lift themselves from the floor.

“Is this supposed to be happening?” Rory yelled over the groaning of the TARDIS, giving up all efforts to regain his feet and just laying helplessly on the floor, his hands thrown over his head.

“Doctor!” Donna’s desperate voice could be heard from the other TARDIS.

“Hang on! Hang on!” The Doctor shouted from where he still dangled on the console. “Almost there!” The TARDIS bounced as though it has struck something and the vibrations were so strong it seemed like the ship would rattle to pieces any second. When it finally ceased its turbulence, it hummed calmly and then came to a merciful stop.

“Knew there was a reason I hated to travel that way.” The Doctor muttered, stretching out his jaw where he had struck it against the ship and pulled himself up to his feet.

“What part of ‘slingshot velocity’ did you think was going to end well?” James lay on his back, a little stunned from where his head had connected with the floor.

“Seat belts might not be a bad idea, either.” Rory groaned.

“Don’t be silly Rory. We’d need chairs first.” The Doctor seemed baffled by the suggestion.

“There’s a wacky idea.” Rory rolled his eyes.

“Yes, well. It got us here.” The Doctor returned his attention to the screen. “Donna? You alright over there?”

“You. Stupid. Git.” He heard her voice grumbling from somewhere beneath the screen.

“Ah, excellent. Alive and kicking, I see. Glad to hear it.” The Doctor rubbed his hands together and grinned. “Everyone else alright?”

“Doctor? I don’t understand,” Amy came running back into view on the screen. “You’re not outside. Where are you?”

“Ah, hello there Pond. Not to worry, we’re just a bit off track.”

“How far? Did you make it out of the time lock?” Amy’s face looked terrified.

“Oh, of course we did. Cleared that easy. Well, not easy, had to burn through most of the rooms in the TARDIS, and actually use some of the gravi-” He paused, the look on her face suggested she wasn’t interested in the details. “Er, never mind that. Spacey wacey. We’re actually quite close to home!” He said with forced cheer.

“How close?” Amy eyed him suspiciously.

“Well…” The Doctor checked the readings on a smaller screen and shrugged. “We’re…on the moon.” His sails deflated ever so slightly.

“Ah, so not really close at all, then.” Amy crossed her arms and glared at the Doctor.

“Well, we couldn’t exactly follow you too closely. Otherwise we would have shot ourselves straight into the core of the Earth, and you know how she hates it when we don’t call first.”

“She?” Amy asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Not important Amy, pay attention. Really, when you consider the distance we had to travel, and the eons we had to cross-” Her glare ruined a perfectly good argument about the relativity of space travel, and how, even in the future, it wasn’t an exact science. “Oh, alright. No, we’re not very close.”

“Doctor, you get yourself here. Right. Bloody. Now.” Her tone was not one to be questioned.

“Blimey, have a close call with a Dalek and the end of the universe and you get all…” He wiggled his fingers in front of the screen. “Moody.”

“I wouldn’t mention that,” Rory said delicately over the Doctor’s shoulder.

“Right, moody? I meant, excellent, brilliant! Fabulous! Just got to shut it down over here for a bit, make sure nothing has gone all, wobbly.” He raised his eyebrows. “We’ll be along shortly!”

“But Doct-”

“Thank you Pond!” He shut the screen off and saluted. Turning back to the TARDIS his tone was more subdued. “Alright then, James. Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure?”

“Yes. I am.” He nodded.

“Then I suggest you get changed. We’re going to need to be swift about this or they’ll be up here knocking on our door. Should be another white shirt in the wardrobe.” He pointed down one of the halls. “I’ll get the chameleon arch ready.” He clapped him on the shoulder then. “Best make it quick, John.”

It hit home for him then, he wasn’t the Doctor any more, or James. He was John. He had to be, for Rose’s sake. And their children. His children.

“Thank you, Doctor.” He said before disappearing down the hall.

 

************************************************************************************

 

“Hello again.” The Doctor grinned as he stepped out of the TARDIS into Rose’s garden. His hands up in the air triumphantly.

“Oh thank god.” Rose cried as she ran forward, rushing into her husband’s arms. The Doctor was pleased to see the newly dubbed ‘John’ didn’t hesitate in the least. He gathered her up and hugged her tight against him.

“It’s alright. We made it.” He whispered into her hair, his eyes closed and for that one moment, he was the happiest man in the entire universe.

“Oi, stupid.” Amy had been leaning against Donna’s TARDIS and now stood at attention. “Get over here,” She beckoned to Rory with a smile. “Next time don’t let that idiot take you anywhere without me, alright?” She warned him, tugging on his shirtfront to let him know she was serious. As carefree as she was, she had been worried when they had nearly left without them.

“Consider it done.” Rory put his arms up in surrender. She giggled and her face relaxed. “Are you alright?” He stroked her cheek affectionately, having the unpleasant feeling she had been in just as much danger.

“I am now,” She said before pulling him in for a kiss.

“Cutting it rather close, weren’t we sweetie?” River stood near the TARDIS and gave the Doctor a challenging stare.

“Yeah, I live for the dramatics though. You know me. Love to put on a show.” He leaned against the side of the TARDIS casually. “Look at you though, fending off the Dalek’s again. Tough as nails you are. Bet they’re not going to forget you.” He gave her a playful punch on the shoulder.

“If I had let them live, perhaps they wouldn’t have.” River shrugged. The Doctor made a face but she just grinned at him. “Oh don’t look at me like that; you knew what you signed up for.”

“I’m not really sure I did.” He shook his head with a smirk.

“I don’t understand,” Donna’s voice broke up the happy reunion. “Where’s the Doctor? Or, my Doctor?” She corrected herself when she caught the eyes of the Doctor leaning against the TARDIS.

They all grew quiet as the Doctor walked over to her, Donna, his best friend through so many adventures, he hadn’t even really thought. Of course, neither of them had. He wouldn’t have thought it was possible, for him to feel worse about it than he already did. But the look in Donna’s eyes proved him so very wrong. He put his hand on her shoulder and breathed out slowly. “I’m truly sorry Donna. We were attacked, he didn’t make it.”

“What do you mean, didn’t make it?” Her tone was angry now. “He was there, I saw him. I went through all that trouble to try and fix everything. That’s not right,” She shook her head, covering her face now. “That’s not right at all.” She stared up at the Doctor and gripped his tweed coat. “I’ll go back and fix it, please. Just let me just go back.”

“Oh Donna,” He smiled sadly and pulled her in for a hug. “It’s alright Donna. I’m still here.” He whispered.

“But it’s not-” She let out a shuddering sob, trying to control the tears that were threatening to overwhelm her. “You’re not…I’ve only just met you.” She shook her head, knowing the Doctor had died, while at the same time he stood in front of her, holding her, was enough to make even a time lord’s head spin. “I’m sorry,” She whispered, tears running down her cheeks. “I suppose I’m a right prat if I tell you it’s not the same.”

“Course not,” He shushed her, but it did hurt him, somewhere deep inside. “It’s going to be alright Donna.”

“You always say that,” She smiled through her tears.

“I’m always right.” He reassured her. She pulled away slowly, finally looking up into his face, and recognizing him, despite the differences. He smiled then, knowing then that it was true. It was going to be alright.

“You always say that too,” She sniffed and adjusted her jacket.

“Yeah, I say a lot of things. Listen, Donna. I was wondering,” He shot a glance over his shoulder at the blue box behind him. “Well, what do you think, want to give it another go? You and the Doctor, wild and crazy adventures? We could finally take that trip to Felspoon.”

“The Doctor Donna, at it again?” She smiled sadly. It wasn’t quite the answer he had been hoping for, perhaps it was better that she didn’t want to come. He was a danger to everyone around him, did he really want to find Donna again just to lose her on some distant star?

“Well, I mean, I know I’m not your first choice and all that.” He feigned a laugh. “Loads of other people you could travel with. You could even get your own companion.” He adjusted his bow tie self-consciously. “No need to say yes, I just thought maybe you’d like to see a bit more.” He held out his hands to encompass the photo booth they stood by. “But, of course, you’ve got your own TARDIS now; don’t need me to be cramping your style. Never mind, forget I said it. Forget I said anything. It was great to see you again Donna Noble.” He smiled bravely.

“Blimey, you sure do ramble.” She raised her eyebrows.

“Yeah, tend to do that. Sorry. Again, great to see you.” He looked over Donna’s shoulder. “River, I assume you need a lift back to prison?” He spun around and snapped his fingers for the TARDIS door to open. Donna grabbed his arm, startling him.

“I’d love to.” She beamed at him.

“Love to?” The response had caught him rather off guard and a hesitant smile came to his lips. “With me?” He pointed to himself as though he hadn’t been clear enough. “In the box?”

“Yeah, with you. Ya big idiot.” She made a face at him that almost made him forget the tears.

“Oh, well…that’s brilliant!” He grinned just as the cloister bells of the TARDIS started to chime. “Oh, blimey. Look at the time, got that hole in the universes collapsing as we speak. Really must be going. Rose,” He held her by the shoulder and kissed the air by both of her cheeks. “It was lovely to have seen you again. I’m glad to see you’re…happy.” He smiled genuinely then, feeling as though a weight had lifted from his heart. He truly was happy to see that she had found a place in the world, and that she had found it with John. “John,” He grinned and pulled the man in for a hug and patting him on the back heartily. “Good luck, John.”

“Thank you.” John returned the hug and his eyes glittered as he pulled back. There were no doubts or second guesses in that face, only joy. The Doctor was glad he had been able to get that right, if nothing else.

“Alright, alright, let’s move everyone; rifts in space and time don’t grow on trees you know.” He held his finger up as he was thinking. “Though they do have something similar to roots. Which they use to siphon off displaced energy that comes from total event collaps-”

“Nobody cares, dear.” River interrupted him but kissed him on the cheek to lessen the blow. He looked up to realize that they were all too busy saying their own goodbyes to Rose and John. Donna teared up again as she hugged John, she had a peculiar look on her face as she stepped back, but she smiled broadly as she hugged Rose. Rory and Amy said polite goodbyes to the both of them, not really having known them well. River satisfied herself with a wave and a blown kiss as she hopped back onto the TARDIS.

“Donna? Donna what are you doing? Cloister bell, closing window. Not a lot of time.” She had ducked her head back into the other TARDIS without saying anything. “Did you change your mind?” The Doctor called after her, running his hand through his hair, suddenly afraid that she might. But she returned a moment later, a sad smile on her face.

“Just sending it back home.” She patted the side of the machine as it started to fade away. “It should be with the rest of them.”

“Yes, you’ll have to show me where you found that…although.” He stopped himself. “There weren’t any…bodies lying around, were there?”

“Bodies? What? No!” Donna looked at him strangely.

“Didn’t smell like armpits?” He eyed her carefully. It would surprise him to find that two time lords had fallen out of the universe in the same place, but not so much that it would be impossible. “No large incorporeal voice calling itself ‘House’? I mean, it was actually the planet itself, which, coincidently enough, was just…well, a rather large alien.” He stretched his hands out to encompass the largeness. “A rather large alien who devours TARDIS’. But I imagine since you made it out alive…well. I suppose not then.” He shrugged with a smile.

“I worry about you sometimes, spaceman.” Donna said with a shake of her head and looked back at John one more time. He was still waving, with that big grin of his. But something was different, something she couldn’t put her finger on. It was still hard to look at him, and know that his match was dead. Harder still to say goodbye forever.

“Excellent, off we go then.” He pulled them both into the TARDIS and closed the door behind him. “River, dearest. I’m letting you drive. Take the kids home, will you. You lot,” He grabbed Rory and Amy’s shoulders and pulled them into a huddle. “I’ll see you shortly, not to worry, not to worry. In the meantime, have some of that good old fashion…normalcy. I bet it’s oodles of fun. Try it, tell me how it goes.” He gave them both a quick hug goodbye and pointed up to the console where River was already starting to take off. “And you, make sure you get yourself back in the slammer at a reasonable hour. You know how the guards hate it when you wake them up.”

“Certainly sweetie.” River blew him a kiss from where she stood.

“Great. Fabulous.” The Doctor let out a sigh, and then a more faked yawn. “Blimey, I sure am tuckered out.” The Doctor made an effort to stretch his long limbs over his head. “You know, I think I’ll just catch some shut eye. Donna, if anything goes boom, let me know, will you?” Donna nodded once and the rest of them watched him disappear down one of the halls of the TARDIS.

“Well that was weird.” Amy frowned. “Oh well, you ready to go and be normal then?” She asked Rory as she intertwined her fingers with his.

“Oh god, I thought you’d never ask.” Rory said with relief. Amy laughed and smiled at Donna.

“It was nice to meet you Donna. You keep him company for us, will you?”

“Sure thing,” Donna gave them both a quick hug as River landed the ship. They both hugged River and told her to visit them soon in their new boring lives. She just laughed. “Parents.” She muttered as they walked out the door. When they left, she turned her attention to Donna more seriously.

“There’s something wrong.” She said working the controls of the TARDIS once again like an old pro.

“Wrong? We’ve _just_ fixed everything. Can’t things stay right for one bloody minute?” She said with a smile that she didn’t entirely feel. Things weren’t right, her Doctor was dead, and it was all her fault. She was going to have to come to terms with that. But she didn’t imagine that’s what River was talking about.

“I’m worried about him.” River pressed her lips together. “But I don’t think he’ll tell me; always stubborn about his time lord business. See if you can get something out of him. Because if you don’t he’ll just sit in that room of his and brood. And then he’ll pop out like nothing was ever the matter.” River shook her blond curls and Donna thought she saw her eyes glisten. “But it will be, and I worry how many times he can just pretend to bounce back like that before he won’t be the same.”

“Alright, I’ll talk to him.” She nodded quickly.

“Thanks,” River hugged Donna, which surprised her. “Take care of him, will you?” The ship settled around them once again and River gave a small smile. “That’s my stop.” And suddenly it was just Donna in the TARDIS alone; it felt strange without the Doctor there. She flipped a few dials herself, setting them parked out in space where they hopefully couldn’t get up to anything too bothersome.

“Alright then, let’s go sort him out.” She said to herself.

**********

After five minutes of wandering the halls, she was just about fed up with the TARDIS, time lords, and the universe in general.

“Alright you, I’ve had enough mucking about.” She crossed her arms over her chest, knowing the ship was being difficult on purpose, or that the Doctor had instructed it to be. “I’m going to give you five seconds to show me where he’s at. Or I’ll unhook the interstitial couplers, and you can find yourself a new dimensional memory system to store all these rooms in. Right?” She almost felt silly threatening the ship, almost. Something in the air shifted and she smelled burning ozone, “That’s better.” She huffed; satisfied it had worked when the next corner she took brought her to a door she hadn’t seen before.

The door was black; the same ebony wood that had been from the forests of Gallifrey; and it was carved with circular patterns that were clearly Gallifreyan in origin. It only took her a moment to translate it, ‘home’ it said. She pushed open the door gently and it gave no resistance as she stepped through. She was taken aback by the lack of decoration in the room, the walls were the same orange of the main control room, but there was nothing exotic about it. It had a bed, a desk with a chair, and a small door that she assumed led to a bathroom. There was one wall of shelves that had decoration, it was filled with pictures. Some of them in frames, but many of them just scattered across the shelves, there had to be hundreds of them. She didn’t realize what they were until she recognized Rose’s face among them. And then one of herself. They were pictures of his old companions, a reminder of the good times that had come and gone, and sometimes, the only company he had.

It wasn’t the sparseness of the room that bothered her in that moment, or the mementos of his past; it was the body on the floor. It was wrapped up in a black cloth, but there was no mistaking it was a body. The Doctor sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from the door and unaware of Donna’s presence. He held his head in his hands and his shoulders were hunched over like there was a great weight threatening to tear him apart. She wanted to comfort him, but she still didn’t know what she could say. Especially since it had all been her fault, her and her stupid half-human brain.

Instead, she knelt down next to the body, needing to see his face one more time. She knew it was the same as John, but it wasn’t. She had to see the Doctor again, one last time, just so she could say goodbye. She pulled back the edge of the wrap delicately, and there he was. There was no life in him and he seemed somehow smaller, diminished, as he lay there on the floor. Just a pale, thin man, fragile looking as he lay there with his eyes shut. It hurt to see him that way, knowing how much energy he had displayed when he was alive. It hurt even more to know she was to blame. Fresh tears prickled her eyes as she started to tuck the cloth back around him, not wanting to see any more. But something caught her eye, something she hadn’t expected. He was wearing a white shirt, the Doctor had been wearing a suit, and she could swear that he had been wearing a blue shirt. But come to think of it, John-

“Oh, that idiot.” Donna fumed, a mixture of fury and heartache in her tone.

“Donna?” Her outburst alerted the Doctor to her presence and he turned, confusion in his red-rimmed eyes. She softened then, realizing that she hadn’t been the only one mourning, and the Doctor would have taken it upon himself to lay the blame at his feet. She looked down at the covered body with a small smile on her lips, shaking her head.

“He said, ‘I love you Donna. You’re my best mate.’ I thought,” She swallowed, her throat felt dry as she spoke. “I thought he was just trying to deliver a final message, you know?” She stood up on shaky legs and crossed the room to sit next to the Doctor; he had resumed his gaze to the floor, sniffing once. “Hah. I suppose he was. I just didn’t realize…” She looked back over the bed. “That’s John, over there, isn’t it?”

The Doctor nodded without looking up. “Yes. That’s John.”

“He gave it all up for her, that daft man. Didn’t he?” She put an arm across his shoulder and sighed.

“Yes.” He spoke, still looking deliberately at the floor. They sat there in silence for a while, unsure of what to say.

“Do you wish it was you back there?” She asked softly.

“What?” He frowned, glancing up at her just briefly, but his floppy hair still masked his face. “No, of course not. Absolutely not.”

“Alright,” She hugged his shoulder, just waiting quietly. He let out a slow breath after a moment and cleared his throat.

“But, I _had_ forgotten. How much it tore me up…I went to see her one last time, before I died. Saw you too,” He smirked. “It was such a long time ago for me, but for him? It had only just happened. And he didn’t even question it, didn’t hesitate. He didn’t wonder at all of he’d miss any of this. Sometimes…” He looked up at the shelf where all the pictures were scattered. “Sometimes I wonder if I _would_ miss it. I wonder if I should stop.”

“Course you’d miss it.” Donna said with a laugh. “I missed it, and I couldn’t even _remember_ it.”

“Oh Donna,” He moaned as though just recalling what had happened. “I’m so sorry about that.” Those last moments had been the worst, when she had begged, pleaded with him, and still, he had lost her.

“Hush now,” She reassured him. “That’s over. We made it through okay, yeah? Besides,” She swallowed, gathering her courage. “I’m the one who should apologize.” She found herself staring at the floor then. “I thought we could change it, I was so confident we could. I was the Doctor Donna again! How could I have been so wrong?” She blinked furiously as her vision started to blur. “I made you go through all of that, I made you destroy them all over again. Oh Doctor, can you ever forgive me?” A sob escaped her throat before she realized she had started to cry again. She covered her face with her hands, admitting it out loud had been much harder than she thought.

“Donna,” His voice was quiet next to her, but she couldn’t bear to look at him. She was too afraid that she would find the fury of a time lord staring back at her. She had seen it once before, and she couldn’t stand the idea that now it would be directed at her; the one who had made him relieve all those old pains. “Donna Noble. Look at me.” He pulled her hands away from her face gently, but she continued to shake her head.

“It’s all my fault. All my fault.” She kept repeating between the sobs, hating herself more each time she said it.

“No Donna,” He whispered, taking her face in his hands and lifting her up. She looked at him through her watery eyes and was surprised that she didn’t see what she most feared from him; instead, she saw her own sadness reflected in his gaze. He smiled then and pressed his forehead against hers, still cradling her face. “It was always going to happen. I had to go back, Donna. It wasn’t any more your fault than it was mine. And I’m glad, Donna. I’m so glad I went back.”

“Why?” She gulped in quick breaths, “Why would you want to go through all that again?”

He grinned at her, but she could see the grief in him. “I got to say goodbye, Donna. A real proper goodbye.” A few of his own tears danced at the corner of his eyes and he kissed her forehead. “And I got you back, didn’t I? You’re still my best mate.”

“Hah.” She said, sniffing back the tears. “Give you a week before you start regretting that.”

“No, Donna. Never ever.” His voice was hoarse as he pulled her in for a tight embrace, holding her until he could feel her shaking had ceased.

“You know,” Donna said, wiping away the last of her tears when she finally pulled away. “I was supposed to be in here making _you_ feel better. River’s orders.” She said with a brave smile.

“Ah yes, River Song, trouble on a stick.” He smirked, thinking eagerly of the day they would meet again. “You have cheered me, Donna, immensely. Mission accomplished.” He patted her shoulder. “It’s nice…” He had to clear his throat, some of that sadness crept back into those ancient eyes of his. “It’s nice to know that I’m not alone.”

Donna took his hand in hers and smiled at him. “Never again, spaceman. Never again.”


End file.
